Countless Worlds
by Roxie Archer
Summary: Their souls exist in countless worlds, drawn to one another in countless ways. KuroxFai
1. 1st World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: This is my procrastination project, that is to say, whenever I'm hit with writer's block for the things I should be working on, I start something new. I can't decide if that's better or worse than just writing nothing during those times. Anyway, I'll post one of these up once a week for a while and then from time to time when I'm stuck on other things.

* * *

1st World: A Cursed Man and A Reclusive Magician

-------------------

"There's a blonde magician up that mountain, sir. I think he could probably cast that spell for you. But nobody ever goes to see _him_."

Kurogane nodded. He didn't care how much of a recluse the guy was. He couldn't stand to live with this curse a second longer.

"He'll turn you into a cat!" the village boy shouted behind him, a final warning, but Kurogane ignored him, making his way up the mountain's single, nearly faded trail.

Two hours into his hike, Kurogane came upon the mountain cottage. It could be nothing but the home of the blonde magician he'd been told of, for there were cats roaming the grounds everywhere.

Just as Kurogane was about to approach the abode and knock on the door, he caught sight of something which not only shocked him, but also caused him to halt in his actions mid-step.

A man, tall and thin, with very light skin and heavy, wet blonde hair emerged from a forest trail, heading himself to the house. What gave Kurogane pause, was that the man was stark naked. And just as he really took notice of the man, the man also saw him, turning his head to gaze at him, his eyebrows hiking in surprise as he stopped to stare at Kurogane.

After several awkward seconds, the blonde man spoke, curiosity and concern in his voice. "Are you lost?" he asked and Kurogane shook himself.

"No. I was just…I…"

The blonde seemed to understand that Kurogane had been looking for him and approached, smiling warmly.

"I was just bathing at the stream there." he said, pointing back the way he'd come and with every step that he took, Kurogane's face grew hotter and he turned his head away, trying…_trying_ not to see.

"I'm sure I must seem to be an exhibitionist but people don't generally come up here where I live."

Now he was standing right in front of Kurogane, leaning closer still, rising on his feet to have a better look at his guest. "Is it that curse that's bothering you?" he asked and Kurogane's head snapped back around.

"Can you see it?"

"Oh, yes." the magician answered, nodding.

"Then you can lift it?"

At this, the blonde tilted his head to the side, his smile shifting and sliding ever wider. "You're such an eager puppy." he said, burying his hand into the spikes of Kurogane's hair and rubbing his head from side to side.

Kurogane growled and yanked himself away. "I am not a _dog_! My name is Kurogane! I am a great warrior of…"

"Yes yes yes." the man said, waving a hand back and forth in front of his face, making it clear that he couldn't have cared less. "Curses are so dull and time consuming, though. I'll tell you what," he said, appearing to have just thought of something "I don't need money for payment and I have lots of cats. What I really need is a dog."

"You'll lift my curse…if I bring you a dog?" Kurogane asked hesitantly. It sounded too good to be true.

"No. I'll lift your curse if you _are _the dog." the man clarified and Kurogane blanched. "Spend one year with me here as a dog and when the year is up, I will lift your curse."

Kurogane had to think about it. He had been to many other wizards, magicians, and seers around the lands and none had even so much as offered him a glimmer of hope, but a _dog_…

"I must warn you though." the blonde man said, raising a finger which caught Kurogane's attention. "It's hard to maintain self when you're an animal. All of these cats were human once. But they can't remember those lives so I can't restore them. If your sense of self is weak, you might remain a dog forever."

Kurogane's eyes narrowed. If anything was ever said of him, he was a strong-willed man. He would not turn this man down. He did not fear a weakness he knew he did not have.

"I will do this thing and come a year's time, I will remember myself well and you had better remember your promise to me least I make use of my animal's fangs at that time."

The man grinned back at him and raised his hands into the air. "My name is Fai, by the way." he said. "And welcome to my home. Please be nice to the cats."

And that is how Kurogane, the brave and noble, cursed warrior of Nihon was turned into a dog by a naked man in the middle of a forest.

* * *

Post whatevers: Just a quick little blip/glimpse into the lives of these two in this world. Generally I'd say that's it, but we might look in on them again later to see how they're getting along. As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	2. 2nd World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: I actually did finish one of the fics that I was working on but I no longer like the title so I won't post it till I can think of a better one. So here's the second world: a kind of an arabian-esque setting. Enjoy!

* * *

2nd World: A Rather Dense King and A Waiting Slave

"This one is very beautiful, sire."

"Beautiful things don't last long."

The first time that Kurogane had looked down on the fair-skinned, fair-haired young man, he had been unmoved and unimpressed. It was true that the slave was beautiful, that his smile was inviting and even possibly willing but Kurogane had been seventeen; he had taken the throne at the age of fifteen and he was tired already. He had seen many young nobles and slaves with beautiful faces and lovely smiles in his lifetime. It took those traits scarce years to fade away into worry lines and wrinkles and thin-lipped, well-trained expressions.

It had happened to him in just two years.

He did not care for beauty or smiles. He did not care to wed and produce heirs to present the kingdom. He did not care to flaunt pretty things and he did not need to relieve himself with the help of others.

He was a good king; a strong and stable provider for his people. Whether he needed anything for himself was not an issue he had the time to address and if he had, he did not want a thing that would fade with time.

The next time that Kurogane saw the fair-skinned and fair-haired slave was a little over a year later. He had been put to work in the kitchens and had served as his waiter when his usual waiter was sick.

Kurogane had been astounded. The blonde's smile was just as brilliant, his skin just as fair as the day he had first seen him. Perhaps he had been pampered for his good looks, his work load made light. Kurogane felt a streak of vengeance rise in him. He ordered that the slave work with the dancers and entertainers that he retained for festivals and whenever he was forced to entertain guests in addition to his kitchen duties.

On the first night that Kurogane was able to see the blonde again, to watch as he performed for his guests late one evening, he was again entranced. The blonde had not grown weary and nor did he seem put-out by the extra work he'd been given. Instead, he seemed to shine on the dance floor with the light of a thousand stars. His hips swayed with perfect grace, his smile inviting and warm, his eyes captured Kurogane in their spell and then captured his guests as well.

Kurogane was not satisfied. He ordered the dancers to dance for him after every evening meal and not only on special occasions. Soon the regular dancers began to complain and he let them go, one by one, until only the blonde was left. And the blonde danced for him tirelessly. Every night, the blonde danced only for him and Kurogane watched every calculated, flowing move with an intensity that seemed to frighten all but the blonde slave, whose smile, he noticed, changed when it was directed at him.

One night, after the fair-haired slave had finished dancing and they were alone in the room together, Kurogane asked "Why do you smile every time I see you? Don't you have other emotions?"

The grin slid ever further on the blonde's lips. "Forgive my candor, my lord," he said, and Kurogane could tell he was amused to be saying it "but I do not smile only when _you _see _me_. I smile when _I _see _you_."

Kurogane felt as though he'd been chastised and he had not been chastised since his parents had done it and he did not like it.

In retaliation, he made the slave his own personal scripter, whose job it was to be at his side always and write down any important things which he might think of to say.

Kurogane did not often think of important things to say, as he was a man of action and few words, so most often, the fair-skinned, fair-haired slave was merely an ever-present presence at his side. Whenever Kurogane would be forced to listen to some diplomat or dignitary, he would tune that out and instead turn his attention to the complacent blonde nearby. His smile was distant at times like these and Kurogane was able to observe how his eyelids fell to half-mast over his clear blue eyes, how his body shifted minutely after a time to prevent stiffness, how the strands of his hair rustled and wrapped around his slender neck when stirred by a gentle breeze from an open window.

Dignitaries sometimes spoke to the slave directly, because a scripter held more status than a dancer or a cook and Kurogane would always miss the questions but he would catch every word and gesture of the answer and then, when the aged noble would smile and lean forward to pat the slave's hand after the pleasant conversation as they rose to leave, Kurogane would bristle.

It happened one day, that Kurogane came upon one of his advisors speaking with the slave. He watched as the advisor took his leave, not having seen him, and then witnessed a thing he had not seen before. The blonde dropped his head down, his shoulders shook, and Kurogane knew he was crying. He had never seen sadness in this man before and seeing it now angered him greatly.

When the blonde looked up at the sound of his swift approach, he was clearly shocked to see him and scrubbed at his eyes hastily in an effort to hide the wetness on his cheeks.

"What did he say to you?!" Kurogane demanded.

What he received however, was not an answer, but a different kind of smile, one meant to quell his fury and placate him. "Only private business, my lord." the slave answered. "Only words of truth. Nothing to draw my lord's attention."

Kurogane did not like being told that something was none of his business. Nothing was _private business_ that he did not allow to be private. He wasn't about to allow such a thing.

So he went to tell this to his advisor.

"I'm not sure I understand the problem, your lordship." the advisor said to him, cringing from Kurogane's initial shouted query of "What the hell did you say to my scripter?"

"You need not be inconvenienced by such things. You do not even know his name. He merely needed to be reminded of this."

There was nothing like being told you were an idiot to make you realize you'd missed the obvious - even if Kurogane had not been told such directly.

"Wait…what do you mean, he needed to be reminded?" Kurogane asked, finally catching the end of his advisor's statement.

"That you don't care for him in the way he may care for you, my lord." the advisor elaborated carefully.

And for some reason, Kurogane did not like to hear that title from him, or anything from him. He was frustrated and without any further comment, left the advisor and went in search of the blonde once more.

He found the slave, after a lengthy search, in his throne room, where he was meant to be for an advisor's meeting in an hour.

"You come early for the meeting, my lord." the blonde said, a light grin sweeping away their previous encounter neatly.

"My name is Kurogane." he said in return. "As king of this land, I grant you your freedom. You may do as you like now and go where you wish."

The blonde's face fell. "I see. Thank you." But he did not sound thankful and Kurogane only became more frustrated.

"I grant you your freedom!" he clarified, as if that could be any clearer. "This is the thing that all slaves desire most. I am doing something kind for you. Why are you not happy?"

And the fair-skinned, fair-haired man smiled a very small, sad smile that made Kurogane's chest ache and said "You've forgotten the reason that I smile."

Kurogane had never felt such pain before but now he was beginning to understand - that the blonde was feeling the same pain, because of him.

"Tell me your name." he demanded. He should have asked the blonde his name on the very first day he had served his dinner.

"I'm no longer obligated to do that." the blonde reminded him calmly.

Kurogane was shocked.

"Then I enslave you again!" he shouted. "Tell me your name!"

"Is it so important?" the blonde asked, coyly. Now, after over two years?" He paused, seeming to like whatever it was he was seeing in Kurogane. "It's Fai. My name is Fai."

"Fai…" Kurogane repeated, and saying it, he found that in doing so he felt a need to be in contact with the other. He reached out, stroking the tender, soft skin of the blonde's cheek, the back of his hand brushing against wisps of hair. Kurogane leaned forward, eyes sliding shut as he neared the lips he only now realized that he had longed to kiss but was forced to stop when he felt a hand pressing firmly against his chest, keeping him back. Kurogane opened his eyes and glared at the hand.

"I'm afraid I must chose death over this option, my lord." Fai said and Kurogane saw red.

"_WHAT!?_"

"Because I love you." Fai explained. "And it isn't appropriate for a slave to love his king this way."

"Then I free you." Kurogane answered, placated, and moved forward toward the blonde again.

Fai grinned. "Make up your mind, Kuro-pu."

Kurogane stopped short again, this time of his own will. "_What_ did you just call me?!"

"Kuro-rin made me wait a long time so I'll call him as I wish." he said, his voice slipping across Kurogane like sultry satin as the blonde leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his king's neck and initiating the kiss that Kurogane had been trying to start.

It had taken Kurogane two years to harden to the ways of the world, and blind himself to the things he wanted and needed. It took another two for a fair-skinned, fair-haired slave to show him the truth. It was all time wasted and half of it was time wasted that he had been loved, and never known.

Another year passed before the king announced his intention to grant his accompanying throne to his head royal advisor, a beautifully exotic man named Fai, who addressed him as no other would ever dare, and with whom his life would never be dull again.

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	3. 3rd World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: Ugh, I spent this week with a quick 24-hour flu bug, a crazy friend cleaning up her yard for a whirlwind wedding, making up the character sheet for the naga I'm going to play in a game of D&D - my first ever, thanks to my sister, and finishing my 20-something-th AMV. Can I breathe now? No, I didn't write this up today, I've had it done about a week.

* * *

3rd World:A Thief and A Detective

He was fairly sure that it was Fai Flourite. But he didn't have any proof. The blonde was an artist, so he didn't have a schedule to keep and he moved with a kind of natural grace that any dancer would envy. He could easily be the thief that Kurogane was investigating.

"My, my." the blonde said as he stood inspecting an art book on an outdoor sales table in front of a small bookstore.

No one else seemed to be within hearing distance but of course Kurogane, the ever vigilant, would catch every word.

"There's that scary puppy again."

Kurogane's eyes narrowed as he looked around for a dog and discovered that there were none to be found.

"I wonder if he'll talk to me today." Fai went on. "He must like watching my butt an awful lot. Since he's always watching me from behind."

Fai shifted his weight slightly and Kurogane's face flushed a deep red as he realized that the blonde man was talking about _him_ and knew he'd been tailing him.

In what seemed like slow-motion, Fai turned around, the long strands of his sunny blonde hair flying out around his neck, his smile bright and wide and Kurogane was caught dead in his gaze.

"I'm not some kind of pervert, you know." Kurogane groused. They were sitting at an outdoor café because Fai had said that if he didn't join him for a friendly conversation, he would scream and accuse him of being a pervert. Kurogane was busy drowning himself in black coffee, trying to find a way out of this predicament.

"I'm a police detective and I think you're the thief who stole the painting of the Winged Princess."

Fai blinked back at him, then burst out laughing. "Don't you think if I was the thief, I'd be thanking you for the tip off?"

"You already knew what I was."

"Well in that case," Fai said diplomatically, "since you seem so serious and I'd really rather not spend my life under suspicion of thievery, I think you should stick with me."

"What do you mean _stick with you_?" Kurogane asked, suspiciously.

"Always." Fai elaborated, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "If you don't have your eyes on me 24/7 you would always wonder if you'd missed an important clue to solving your case. And this way, my neighbors don't call your friends on you with reports of a scary stalker!"

Kurogane grumbled, but the blonde did have a point. He had been tailing Fai for three days but a valuable diamond necklace had gone missing on the second night and the thought that Fai had somehow slipped by him without his knowledge had been plaguing him to the point of sleep deprivation.

"I know it's you." he said at length. "If you do this, I will catch you."

Fai's eyelids slid to half-mast and his grin shifted. "You're welcome to try."

So Kurogane moved into Fai's tiny apartment with him. Every day he accompanied the man in his rounds; to the park and restaurants and the skating rink where Fai made him join him on the floor where he fell three times and children laughed at him. He bought groceries with Fai and slept on the floor of his bedroom near the door.

He spent every waking moment observing the blonde, how he cleaned his house to spotlessness, how he opened doors without touching the pads of his fingertips to the surface directly, how when he cut himself he would lick at the blood until it stopped flowing rather than soaking the blood up with anything else.

Every tiny thing that Fai did made him more and more suspicious in Kurogane's eyes and the detective became more and more certain that _somehow_, Fai was eluding him.

In the span of a month, two more thefts were committed.

Kurogane tried harder and harder not to miss things. All of the minute details began to stand out to him; how Fai slept only on his stomach at night and how he loved to make them breakfast. Fai sometimes had nightmares and Kurogane would always know because his hair was more tussled the morning after them than when he got a good night's sleep and they often occurred the night after they argued over something or other. Fai used shampoos that smelled faintly perfumed but once Kurogane had caught him smelling of his own shampoo, which had nearly no smell at all. That was on a night that a theft had occurred. Still, Fai had slept in his bed the entire night sans a brief trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Fai liked to drink and when he was drunk he liked to flirt with him…more heavily.

"I could still be the thief you know, Kuro-tan." Fai said one evening while they were sitting on the couch together watching the news. They hadn't been talking about anything like that and the news was showing coverage from a concert. "I think…you'd better stick around for a while longer." Fai leaned up to look him in the face and it wasn't that far for Kurogane to lean to kiss him.

Two more weeks passed and Kurogane learned that the sounds that Fai made when they made love were the most amazing sounds in the world.

And then one day, while Fai was in the shower, while looking for lysol under the kitchen sink, he found three diamond bracelets tucked away in a tiny velvet bag. He recognized them from the police reports.

Kurogane put them back where he'd found them and did not mention the discovery. How had Fai gotten away with this right under his nose for so long? Until he knew that, he couldn't turn him in.

But no matter how closely Kurogane watched, Fai never seemed to leave his side. He realized that he would have been ok knowing that he had been wrong; that Fai wasn't really the thief he'd been looking for. But he was and he couldn't forget, even when Fai gasped his partial name, even when they lay together in the blonde's bed, even when Kurogane really _wanted_ to.

When Fai got up to use the bathroom that night, Kurogane pretended to be asleep, because he had too much to think about and needed the silence but when the blonde returned to bed, Kurogane found himself distracted. Instead of joining him, Fai lay on his stomach on the far side of the bed and settled down to sleep.

"Feeling ok?" Kurogane asked, moving over the blonde and laying a hand on the back of his shoulder in concern.

The body beneath him tensed slightly but the voice was warm. "Yea, just a little of an upset stomach, maybe from the pasta at lunch today."

Kurogane nodded absently but he noticed a strange thing. Fai's hair seemed to smell a little different than it had when they were pressed together just moments before. He was sure that Fai had used his shampoo earlier in the day but now his hair smelled faintly of vanilla. Maybe he'd been mistaken earlier. Kurogane moved back to where he'd been and lay down, closing his eyes for the night.

Just a little over an hour later, Fai got up to use the bathroom again and this time when he returned he snuggled up to his back. Kurogane shivered involuntarily. Fai's body was chill and he turned back, wrapping his arms around the blonde to warm him.

"Am I chilly?" Fai asked, just a little playfully. "I opened the window in the bathroom for a minute. It's cold outside."

"Idiot." Kurogane mumbled tiredly. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he noticed that the smell of vanilla was gone.

Kurogane had decided not to say anything about the bracelets but when he saw news of the latest theft on the television the next morning, he realized that he couldn't let it go any longer and he told Fai that he had found the bag under the kitchen sink.

"But Kuro-chan," His false lightheartedness was painfully poor. "you've been right here with me the whole time."

"I'm not saying I know how you're doing it," Kurogane had to give him that much. "but I know it's you."

"You always have, right, Kuro-sama?" Fai asked. He couldn't meet Kurogane's eyes but the detective _had_ to know.

"_Why?_ Why do this, even when I'm here? Are you being forced to do it, is it some kind of addiction? You should know by now that if you have a problem, I…"

"There's a very famous painting going up for auction tonight." Fai said, interrupting him. "And I…I'm going to steal it."

Fai might have said more but Kurogane cut him off. "I can't let you do that."

"There's something you don't know about me." Fai said and he seemed reluctant to say it now. "Something that isn't in any of the files you've read."

Kurogane narrowed his eyes, awaiting the answer.

Fai crossed the room and picked up the telephone. "It's better if you see." he explained and proceeded to dial the phone. When it picked up, Fai said "Can you come over now?…Everything's fine. …Thanks." Then he hung up and silence descended on the room.

"In twenty minutes, I'll explain everything." Fai said, not meeting his lover's eyes.

So they waited and twenty two minutes later, there was a light knock on the door. Fai took a deep breath and went to answer it. He turned back, his eyes lingering on Kurogane for a moment before he pulled the door open.

Kurogane was completely floored. Outside the door stood a mirror image of the man he'd been living with.

"This is my brother, Yuui." Fai explained.

"How…how could _that_ not be in your record!" Kurogane shouted, pointing at Yuui as he turned to Fai.

"When we were born, Yuui was put up for adoption." Fai explained. "I didn't even know he existed until we met face to face by chance."

"So, he's the one stealing things?" Kurogane asked, trying to make sense of this new information.

"No." Fai answered firmly. "Yuui's never stolen anything. I've done it the whole time."

"Then…"

"You were very kind last night," Yuui said, speaking up for the first time. "when you asked if everything was alright. I'm sorry I flinched when you touched me."

Kurogane's eyes widened as he stared at the newcomer in shock. Then he hadn't been mistaken about the scent in Fai's hair. It was Yuui who'd smelled of vanilla, who he'd slept together with…naked.

"_What the hell!?!_ When else has it been this guy?" he demanded, turning on Fai. "I haven't…"

"No!" Fai threw up his arms, shaking his head. "He only filled in for me on some nights."

"I snuck in and out through the bathroom window." Yuui clarified.

"Yuui may not look it," Fai said, hanging his head to stare at the carpeting "but he's very sick. He has a disease that's killing him. There is a cure, but it isn't done here and it's so expensive that neither of us could ever afford it, so…so that's why I'm stealing and why I'm going to steal that painting tonight. When I sell it on the black market, we'll just have enough." Fai raised his head to look Kurogane in the eyes. "Let me finish this." he pleaded. "Just one more painting tonight and then Yuui can go and I'll stay here with you. I'll let you turn me in without any trouble. Please. If I mean anything to you at all, let me do this."

Kurogane couldn't tell him no and he couldn't fault him for what he'd done. Fai meant too much to him. So he let him go.

That night, Yuui stayed there with Kurogane and they waited together for Fai.

"I think you really love my brother." Yuui said as they were sitting together on the couch, watching tv to pass the time at two am. "I'm sorry, because he did this for me."

"Don't apologize." Kurogane grumbled.

"But if not for me, you could be happy with him." Yuui insisted.

Kurogane shook his head. "It's not your fault. It's just the way…things are."

Fai returned to them at dawn and went about collecting all of the money he'd saved up and getting Yuui ready to travel. Then he stood with Kurogane at the door and hugged his brother goodbye. Yuui cried and Kurogane felt like the monster though everything Fai had done had been leading to this point.

"Thank you." Fai said in the silence after he'd closed the door.

"Was I just…a way for you to seem innocent?" Kurogane asked, focusing on the door instead of Fai.

Fai's eyes widened but then he smiled sadly. "Yuui is the most important thing in the world to me." he affirmed. "So it was at first. But then I fell in love."

Kurogane let it sink in, then he growled in frustration and grabbed Fai's hand, yanking the door open and pulling him through it.

"Can't I even…grab a sweater?" Fai asked, stumbling as he tried to match Kurogane's hasty stride.

"No." the detective answered firmly. "If we don't hurry we'll miss our plane."

Fai gaped, in shock. "But…but I thought…I…"

"I hate my job." Kurogane said, keeping his gaze ahead of them. "I'll never get promoted here. They only give me the assignments they don't want to bother with themselves. And you're an idiot. You need someone with an honest job around."

"Someone like you?" Fai asked, a smile in his voice.

Kurogane nodded and accepted the weight on his arm as Fai finally matched his hurried walk and snuggled against his side.

"You kept your promise to me, Kuro-rin." he said. "You caught me."

* * *

Post whatevers: Fai actually kept the portrait of the Winged Princess for himself. It was the only thing he stole that he couldn't let go. As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	4. 4th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: I really have to thank all the wonderful reviewers that reviewed/faved/and follow this. I'm having fun with it...maybe a little too much, considering this particular world. At any rate, I finally came up with a title I can live with for that other Tsubasa fic I was talking about earlier and so I'll post that too. It's got a tribal setting and is titled The Tale of Black Wolf and White Deer.

- I'm sure everyone's seen Disney's Beauty and the Beast, so I won't waste your time explaining the situation.

* * *

4th World: A Steak Knife and A Cutting Board in the House of the Beast

"I wonder if my scratches will be scars when we become human again." Fai mused, examining himself in the reflective surface of a pot sleeping on the stove.

"You don't have any scratches." Kurogane said, brushing off the vain comment without bothering to look at the cutting board. He should know. He was far too good with his sharp edge to cut Fai.

"Well, I…"

The hesitancy in his voice drew Kurogane's attention and he hopped across the counter to get a good look at the cutting board.

There was indeed a hairline scratch across his wooden surface.

"Who did that to you!?" Kurogane yelled, feeling a dark rage surging up in him.

Fai laughed nervously. "Settle down, Kuro-cut. I don't think it was on purpose."

"Who!?" Kurogane demanded, jumping up and thumping against the counter loudly.

"Kyle. He…was just filleting a fish for the master's breakfast and he slipped."

"Slipped my stainless steel blade." Kurogane muttered darkly. "Tell me how you slip vertically when you're supposed to be going horizontally?"

"Well I…" Fai wasn't sure.

Kurogane stomped off in search of the fillet knife.

He found Kyle inspecting his shining surface in a window, turning this way and that, catching the light on his blade. He saw Kurogane approaching in the reflection and turned, giving him a slick smile that made Kurogane feel as if he'd gotten dirty somehow.

"To what do I owe the honor?" he asked.

"You know what you did." Kurogane growled. "To that cutting board this morning."

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're referring to." Kyle answered him distractedly, clearly wanting to go back to his window gazing.

"You punk!" Kurogane yelled, charging at the other in a blind rage.

The loud clang sounded throughout the kitchen and soon the dishes and utensils gathered to watch the epic battle.

Fai gasped as he watched the knives strike each other. "Kuro-slice!" he shouted in horror when Kyle tried to stab the steak knife.

The fillet knife succeeded but his small blade did nothing to the larger steak knife. Still, he'd gotten a swelled head for his effort.

"Don't get so bent out of shape!" Kyle laughed. "It's just a cutting board. That's what it's for! Or are you jealous that _I_ made an impression on it before you did?" he added suggestively.

Kurogane charged the fillet knife, catching him off guard and struck him so hard with his steel blade that Kyle flew back and crashed through the window.

The crowd slowly dissipated until only the cutting board remained.

"Kuro-shine is very valiant." he said, with sincerity.

Kurogane didn't meet his eyes. "That bastard shouldn't have treated you that way."

"Kuro-dangerous," Fai said, sliding closer to the knife "when we're human again I'm going to give you a big kiss!"

Kurogane tottered on the counter. "What makes you think I'd want that!?" he sputtered and the cutting board laughed merrily.

Kurogane was only glad they weren't human when Fai embarrassed him and he couldn't blush to fuel the other's teasing. For everything else, he awaited the day that the spell over the castle broke and he and Fai could do things that cutting boards and cutlery weren't capable of.

* * *

Post whatevers: Next time we'll get back to that first world to check on Kurogane's progress for the first 2 month mark. As always, if you liked, please reveiw. Ja!


	5. 1st World2 mo

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: As promised, we'll look in on our first world again and see how we find Kurogane two months after agreeing to become a dog. --Things have been so hectic around my house lately. I haven't gotten to anything that actually needs to get done.

* * *

1st World: revisited

{Two Months Later}

"Dinner!" Fai called.

Kurogane blamed his stomach for making him run. Fai did not feed him dog slop, he shared his meal with him but he put it in a bowl on the floor. It was something Kurogane had to get used to. Since he didn't have thumbs it was no use trying to eat like a man.

Kurogane growled and snapped at one of the cats as it was trying to sneak toward his bowl. The cats ate mice and birds, they didn't need _his_ food!

After dinner, Fai generally baked because it made the house warm at night and he was addicted to sweets. He spent the entire time prattling on to Kurogane about anything and everything. Kurogane had found after a while that if he tuned out the words themselves, the sound of Fai's voice was actually rather soothing. Sometimes he fell asleep to it.

Every night, Fai would try to convince Kurogane to join him on the bed. He would pat the bed and say, "Come on, Kuro-pu, come sleep with me tonight." Kurogane, of course, would leave the room.

During the day, Fai used water spells to bring water from the stream to his many gardens. Fai grew flowers, many flowers of all shapes and sizes and some vegetables.

Kurogane watched as he moved the water, in floating orbs that he maintained with his hands, across the clearing to his house, never spilling a drop along the way. His hands moved in graceful patterns to hold the water together and Kurogane watched, entranced by the continuing motion.

"Are you impressed?" Fai asked, catching him staring and Kurogane shook himself, looking away.

Suddenly, a splash of water hit him in the side of the head and Kurogane turned back to the blonde magician in shock.

Fai was laughing. "Kuro-puppy needs a bath." he said, throwing another splash of water Kurogane's way. The former-man moved out of the way before he was hit with it. Fai continued splashing water at him, laughing as he chased Kurogane around the yard then suddenly, Kurogane turned and charged the blonde, surprising him with his new tactic.

Kurogane didn't think of what he would do if he caught the mage and Fai couldn't get out of the way fast enough. Kurogane collided with him, sending them both to the ground and the water between Fai's hands exploded, soaking them both.

Kurogane glared at the blonde but Fai only continued laughing.

* * *

Of the things that Kurogane missed the most, speaking probably came second only to having thumbs, which surprised him because he had always been a man who relied on his actions rather than words.

He had never realized how much his world would shrink when he accepted this deal. He could not understand the cats or other forest animals and did not know whether or not he might have understood other dogs as there were no other dogs on Fai's mountain. Fai was the only being in his world that Kurogane could understand and he was unable to reply to the other in turn.

Sometimes he wondered if that isolation was something that the magician felt as well, hearing no human voices around him for months on end.

Kurogane might have felt sorry for Fai, had the other not been _so_ infuriating.

Fai teased him constantly. Whenever he made pies, he would leave a bowl with berry remnants in it on the floor just to see if Kurogane would step in it by accident. Whenever he did, Fai would laugh until he had to hold his stomach and Kurogane would storm away in a huff.

It went on like that until one day, when Fai was distracted by a catfight while mixing blackberry pie filling and Kurogane reached up to the counter, took the bowl by his teeth, and set it down full…right where the blonde mage was sure to step in it.

Fai's bare foot made a satisfying _squish_ in the bowl and if Kurogane could have laughed himself, he probably would have.

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	6. 5th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: I couldn't help myself. I'm such a geek.

* * *

5th World: An Earth Pony and a Flutter Pony

"Help me? Oh please!"

Kurogane's pointed ears picked up the faint pleading nearby and he trotted in that direction. Kurogane was a heavy built earth pony, tan with a short, spiked black mane. His tail was wrapped tightly at its base in red cloth that matched his eyes.

Kurogane's hooves sank into the snow underfoot as he neared the source of the voice but still, he didn't see anyone around. He was clear out to the edge of Bumble Land where ponies hardly ever traveled so it wasn't a pony he was expecting to find.

"Oh! Up here, mister sword pony!"

Kurogane, whose birthmark was in the shape of a glinting sword with a silver dragon for its hilt, grimaced and looked up.

High in a frozen tree above his head, there was a pony flopped over a branch. Kurogane squinted his eyes for a better look. The pony was white, which made him hard to see in the sunlight. His yellow-blonde mane only flowed halfway down his neck and his tail swished happily as he looked down with wide blue eyes.

"Please save me, mister sword pony." the blonde pleaded and Kurogane felt his temper flare.

"My name's Kurogane!" he called up to the pony. "What's wrong with you? Get down the same way you got up!" It was ridiculous to find a _winged_ pony stuck in a _tree_.

"Hello Kuro-sword!" the pony called happily. "I'm Fai!"

_Fai?_ What kind of name was that?

"I want to get down but one of the branches broke and hit my wing and it hurts!"

Kurogane squinted up at the pony again. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't seen any wings. Looking for them, he found a pair of translucent flutter wings. Fai was a flutter pony. Kurogane frowned again.

"I'm just an earth pony! What am I supposed to do?"

"Just…don't move." Fai suggested.

Kurogane looked up again to find the pony falling straight toward him. He screamed and tried to duck but it was too late. Fai crashed into him and Kurogane's legs buckled sending them both sprawling in the snow.

Kurogane spit snow out, the sound of the flutter pony's laughter filling the air around him.

"You idiot! What'd you do that for?!"

"What else could we do?" Fai wondered aloud. "Thank you so much for helping me!"

"I didn't help you." Kurogane snapped, struggling to his feet. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Weeeell… What are _you_ doing out here?" Fai returned, prancing in a slow circle around Kurogane.

"I asked you first." Kurogane answered with a frown, trying to follow the path of Fai's circle. Now that he was closer to the white pony, Kurogane could tell that his birth mark was an intricate phoenix made of swirling black lines.

Fai came to a stop in front of him and looked down at the trampled snow beneath his feet, self-consciously. "I'm a boy." he whispered and Kuroagne raised an eyebrow.

"I noticed." the tan pony replied, unimpressed.

"Oh…you've never met the flutter ponies." Fai seemed reluctant to explain.

Kurogane's crimson eyes narrowed in thought. "I've heard of them. They live in Flutter Valley, they worship the Sun Stone, they don't get out much…They can do this thing with their wings…like a dragonfly." he said, counting the facts he knew off on his hooves.

"There _aren't_ any boy flutter ponies." Fai supplied, quietly.

Kurogane blinked back. "Well then what the heck are you?"

Fai shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously. "Well I…I'm…"

"So you're a boy…did they kick you out for that?" Kurogane asked, beginning to get upset all over again.

"No!" Fai answered hastily. "No, the flutter ponies were really nice and our queen, Rose Dust, would never kick someone out. But I…don't really belong. The bees here are on good terms with the flutter ponies so I decided to stay here, so I wouldn't embarrass them, that's all."

"That's stupid." Kurogane said, making his way further into the forest.

Fai followed, trotting along beside him. "Well how about Kuro-tan? What are _you_ doing in Bumble Land? This is a long way from other places."

"I'm looking for monsters." Kurogane said simply.

"Monsters?" Fai asked, tilting his head curiously.

"To fight." Kurogane clarified. "I'm the toughest pony in all of Pony Land so I'm looking for challengers."

Fai laughed lightly. "Silly Kuro-hoof, there aren't any _monsters_ in Pony Land."

"Says the _boy_ flutter pony." Kurogane shot back and immediately, Fai's ears dropped flat in shame as he slowed to a stop.

"Oh…"

Kurogane stopped, catching sight of Fai's forlorn expression from the corner of his eye and turned back.

"I didn't mean that." he added hastily. "I mean, I didn't mean it that way. There's nothing wrong with you. It doesn't matter to me what the heck you are. Who cares?" Kurogane turned his gaze back to the front, embarrassed.

"Kuro-trot's so articulate." Fai crooned, smiling once more and trotting around in front of Kurogane. "We'll go monster hunting together!"

"Hey now, just a minute!" Kurogane protested, but Fai was already ahead of him, tail swishing happily in front of his face.

"A-hunting we will go! A-hunting we will go!" Fai sang, dancing a little to his own tune.

"I take it back!" Kurogane shouted above the singing. "There _is_ something wrong with you. You're crazy!"

Fai continued to sing as he danced on through the snow and Kurogane followed behind, watching the sway of the slim body ahead of him.

At least the view wasn't bad.

* * *

Post whatevers: You know what? It was hard to tone down Kurogane's language to the My Little Pony level. And he doesn't even swear that much.


	7. 6th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: **WARNING! **This fic contains language that I certainly wish did not exist, but it does and somehow it ended up here. It is, unfortunately, a predjudice that is commonplace in highshool.

That aside, I can't believe how many people are following this. It makes me so happy! And I want to thank you all. If you're old enough and you have some time, please consider reading my newest fic, All That I Am. It's the major Tsubasa fic that I've mentioned working on.

Oh, and by the way, Kyoko-chan is not an OC. She's actually from Angelic Layer.

* * *

6th World: A High School Somebody and a High School Nobody

"I really like you a lot, Kyoko-chan …just not in that _way_."

The girl's eyes watered, narrowing angrily as she yanked her hands away from his. "I'll make you regret this, Fai." she promised. "No one can break up with me." Humiliated, she turned and ran away.

Alone in the hallway, Fai smiled to himself. He should have known she'd be a vengeful one.

Fai Flourite was in his senior year of high school and ever since the fifth grade, he'd had a secret crush. He maintained girlfriends and female acquaintances to hide it but in the end, he kept himself at a distance, because his crush filled his every waking thought…and a few dreaming ones.

Fai Flourite was not the type of man who dreamed small dreams. Fai Flourite dreamed big. His crush was the most popular, most handsome, most talented senior in the entire school. His crush was named Kurogane and _he_ was the captain of the kendo team.

After school, Fai watched him practice, under the pretense of drawing swordsmen for a manga. It was a good excuse to stare at him. Fai loved everything about Kurogane from the rich tan color of his skin to the way his muscles stretched and flexed with every thrust and strike of his practice sword.

_Thrust._

_Thrust._

_Thrust._

He never could stay the entire time.

Fai had exactly one friend; Watanuki Kimihiro, who referred to himself as a member of the going-straight-home-after-school club. Watanuki, an orphan whose parents had both passed away, had lived by himself since middle school. After he and Fai, who also lived alone, became friends, they had decided to share Fai's apartment so they wouldn't have to eat dinner alone anymore. Fai's father, who worked overseas, paid the rent for him anyway.

By the time that Fai got home after kendo practice, Watanuki had dinner waiting. It was nice, it wasn't lonely, but Fai had a harder time appreciating it after seeing Kurogane than he would have liked. He sometimes wished he could just crawl into bed when he got home and forget dinner.

"So how did kendo practice go today?"

Watanuki was the only one who knew Fai's secret. He tried to be supportive but he had never liked that Fai let his crush pull him into pits of depression instead of confronting Kurogane personally. Fai was afraid to do that. He didn't want to lose his fantasies. He was ashamed to admit it, but seeing Kurogane had been his primary reason for getting up in the morning for some years now. If he lost that, he wasn't sure he could cope.

"Good." Fai answered, distractedly. "Kuro-tan started preparing the team for the big competition today." he added, snapping himself out of his train of thought with a smile. "They're going to win."

"And that's a completely unbiased opinion, right?" Watanuki returned, grinning slyly across the table.

Fai grinned back. "Of course."

* * *

The next day when Fai arrived at school he was greeted by odd sidelong glances and whispered conversation. He wasn't sure what to make of it so he tried to ignore it as he made his way to his locker but every step down the long hallway seemed to become more difficult than the last. They were obviously talking about him. Their looks were starting to make him nervous. He almost wished that somebody would say something, just so that he would know what it was that had drawn attention to him.

Almost.

But really, he would have been fine just overhearing it somewhere.

Fai's path was soon blocked by a much larger figure. One of the members of the wrestling team had planted himself directly in Fai's way and was glaring down at him like some disgusting thing he suddenly wanted very much to squish.

Fai tried to smile up at him nonchalantly but the dry lump that had formed in his throat may have strained it somewhat.

"Something I can do for you?"

The man's glare intensified and he reached out a hand, giving Fai one strong shove.

Fai stumbled back a step, dropping his book bag in surprise.

"You got an explanation for this, fag?" he demanded, waving a note in front of him.

Fai's face turned ashen.

"Yea fairy, keep your perverted shit to yourself." another jock added, joining the first, his own paper in hand.

"You're not gonna like it so much when we rearrange your face!" a third threatened.

Fai swallowed and reached forward quickly, snatching the closest paper, reading the words written there, feeling his own disgust surface. It was, simply put, a lewd invitation to (at least) the three men in front of him, signed with his own name.

Fai felt sick. He tried, _tried_ to cover it with ice, hoping that they would believe him.

"Yes, I can explain them perfectly well. I didn't write them." Fai threw the paper back, letting it flutter to the floor at their feet.

"As if we'd believe that shit." the front man spat back, shoving Fai again.

This time he collided with a solid form behind him and strong hands gripped his shoulders.

Fai panicked. Would everyone just stand around and watch? But before he could struggle, he was shoved aside as the man behind him stepped forward.

"Leave him alone."

Fai's heart stopped cold in his chest.

Kurogane.

"Don't tell me you're actually interested in that little whore!" one of the jocks returned in disgust.

"I said shut it!" Kurogane ordered and, at the very least, they seemed to hesitate. "He obviously didn't write that crap. Only a complete bitch would write something that vindictive." Kurogane threw a crumpled ball of paper on the floor and from somewhere behind, Fai heard a strangled shriek and turned to see Kyoko running away from them down the hall.

Fai sighed heavily. Kyoko. Of course.

"Come on."

Fai looked up, startled, as Kurogane took his arm and barely had the presence of mind to stoop down and grab his bag as Kurogane began pulling him through the crowd leaving breathy whispers and unsettled silence in their wake.

Kurogane released him in the cafeteria, where students were gathered for breakfast and kept walking, heading for the gym, abandoned at this early hour. Fai followed him, letting the large double door close heavily behind him, echoed in the cavernous room.

"Thank you." he said, his quiet voice amplified by the acoustics of the room.

"I didn't do anything." was the simple response as Kurogane leaned back against the wall, seemingly ignoring him.

Fai chewed his bottom lip. He could tell Kurogane the truth. Watanuki would say he should. …And then Kurogane could personally deliver him right back to that hallway and tell those other jocks that he'd changed his mind and they could do whatever they liked with him…

"You're an idiot." Kurogane said, startling Fai from his thoughts. "You caused this problem yourself. You never should have gone out with that little hussy. Not when you never planned to take it anywhere."

Fai felt the need to defend himself. "How do you know I wouldn't…"

"Because you like me."

Fai felt that two heart attacks in one day was pushing a bit much on him, but it didn't stop his heart from skipping a beat.

Kurogane cracked an eye open, one crimson orb sliding his way, taking in his lacking reply and pushed himself away from the wall, advancing on the blonde steadily.

"You've come to watch my practice sessions since the first day I joined the kendo team. You pretend to be busy but I see you staring at me."

"I was just…I…" Fai knew what he was trying to say, but somehow the words had escaped him.

Kurogane grabbed his arm, his grip solid as steel, firm but not hurtful. "Why didn't you just say something?" he demanded. "Why keep coming if you were too afraid to act?"

"I…" Fai tried to find his courage. He knew it was inside somewhere. "I didn't know what you'd think and I didn't want to lose what little I had."

Kurogane studied him for a moment. Then let out a frustrated breath. "Idiot."

In one swift motion, he stooped down and crushed his lips against Fai's.

* * *

"Hey, Watanuki."

…

"I won't be home for dinner tonight. After practice…I'm going out with Kuro-kun."

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	8. 1st World 4 mo

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: Over 80 reviews! I want to thank everyone who reviews. I kind of feel bad that this update is so short. Hopefully, the next one (from the first world) will be longer.

* * *

1st World: revisited (again)

_{2 Months Later - 4 Months since arrival}_

Kurogane eventually got bored. He was afraid that inactivity might begin to weigh on his mind so he searched for something to do. Wandering around the forest in back of the house, he came upon Fai. The blonde had a shovel and was toiling away digging a hole in the ground. Curious, Kurogane approached on quiet paws. Fai was crying and at his feet lay a dead cat. He was digging a grave.

Kurogane stopped short and Fai looked over, seeing him. The magician slid to his knees in the dirt, holding onto the shovel with one hand and extending the other out to him. Kurogane approached slowly and when he reached Fai, the blonde wrapped his arm around his neck, holding him close.

Kurogane was unused to dealing with such emotions. The mage annoyed him at times, his moods were often fake and irritating, but he fed him and was welcoming and kind to him. He was going to lift the curse over him. Kurogane let the magician cry into his fur, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.

"I…I remember them all." Fai whispered to him and Kurogane understood. Each time, he hoped and prayed that they would remember. Kurogane would remember. He looked out at the clearing they were in, covered in graves, each with their own marker and name. He would not join them. He would not make Fai do this for him.

Pulling away, Kurogane turned to the shallow hole that Fai had started and began to dig. He dug until the hole was as deep as he was tall before Fai laid a hand on his shoulder and told him that it was ok to stop.

Fai laid the cat in the hole, an animal that had once been human, and Kurogane helped him to cover it with earth.

That night, Fai tossed and turned in his sleep and, quietly, Kurogane climbed into bed with him, lying at the foot of his bed against the blonde's leg. The contact seemed to calm Fai and he reached out for something to hold but his hands fell empty to the mattress below.

* * *

After that day, Fai made more of an effort to include him in things, seemingly seeking out his company where before he had merely let him do as he wished. Fai started to keep an eye on him. He would call out to him if any long periods of time passed when they were apart. When Fai was picking flowers from his garden he would ask Kurogane to bring him a vase or a basket or a spade, even if the items weren't far from him. At first, Kurogane was annoyed by it but if he ignored the magician, Fai would repeat himself, slower, more clearly, and Kurogane began to understand that these were exercises for him. Fai was trying to keep his brain operating on the level of a human. Kurogane wasn't having any problems understanding the blonde and he began to wonder how long it had taken the cats to forget human speech.

Once Kurogane understood, he began to humor Fai, grateful for his help, no matter how unneeded. He brought Fai the things he asked for and performed complicated tasks like opening a cupboard above the kitchen counter to bring him a cup or bringing him a specific kitten from the living room.

It was all fine for Kurogane until Fai started abusing the exercises. It didn't take Kurogane long to distinguish between the tasks that were meant to help him and the ones that were only meant to try his patience. When Fai asked him to roll over only to rub his belly once he had, Kurogane began to feel he was being made fun of. He snapped at Fai and left him to sulk in the back yard.

He wasn't sulking because Fai had gotten the better of him. He could always get the magician back for it later. He was sulking because it'd really taken him some effort to pull himself away.

* * *

Post whatevers: The next update to this world will come at the 6 month mark. As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	9. 7th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: I may take a break with these one-shots soon to work on longer fics. I'd like to work more on All That I Am and a few others right now but I do have the next update for the 1st world done and it should go up next week or the week after.

* * *

_7th World: The King's Knight and The Queen's Knight_

King Syaoran was a just and fair ruler in the land of Clow. He had chosen his knight early in life; the son of the late King's knight, the boy who'd taught him to fight. His knight was called Kurogane. He was fearless and strong and loyal as his father before him had been.

Queen Sakura, the wife of King Syaoran and rightful heir to the throne of Clow, was a gentle and kind soul. She never allowed anyone to suffer where she could help it and was loved by all her people. Sakura had taken for her knight, a traveling magician she'd happened upon one day in the village. He was blonde-haired and blue-eyed with a willowy body and a willowy personality to match. He never spoke of himself, only of others, and his smile was wide and bright. He was called Fai.

It was an odd coupling to be sure. King Syaoran and Queen Sakura seemed for all the world the perfect pair. They never argued and both maintained a policy of self-sacrifice, each where the other was concerned most of all, and each of their knights seemed well suited to them individually. Certainly, they each shared a bond with their knights which could never be broken, but the knights themselves clashed horribly.

Kurogane was simple and honest; Fai, complicated and secluded. Kurogane was emotional, Fai calm. Kurogane was loud and Fai, quiet. Kurogane had trained for years (and continued to train) to be worthy of the honored position of defending his king; Fai seemed lazy and came to this position with no more recommendation than his queen's smile and a gentle nod of her head.

To be honest, Kurogane had been appalled. In fact, their very first meeting went something like this:

_The Royal Court was gathered in the throne room; all of the advisors, staff, and higher-ranked soldiers waited with anticipation for the unknown announcement they had been gathered to hear._

_The king sat upon his throne, Kurogane knelt dutifully at his side, the queen upon her throne nearby._

_As the queen stood, a reverent hush fell over the crowd._

"_I have chosen the one who is to be my royal knight." she announced, her voice carrying clear and strong across the room._

_It was news to Kurogane. He'd heard nothing of this and found himself staring at her in shock. As the only royal knight, Kurogane had protected both king and queen and when separated, Syaoran had often left him to guard Sakura. Kurogane had never been in the dark about important matters before. Both king and queen had often confided in him and his opinion had always been considered. He supposed that he understood this though, thinking on it. The choice of one's private knight was a highly personal one._

"_Not even I know." Syaoran whispered and Kurogane rose with his king to await the formal introduction._

_A slight movement in the crowd drew the knight's attention briefly and Kurogane looked out among the crowd to see a willowy fair-haired man gliding around the men and women whose gazes were fixed on their queen. Kurogane knew instantly that he was up to something. A hand fell to the hilt of his sword even as Queen Sakura raised her hand._

_The man in the crowd raised his own and Kurogane growled. The only thing that kept him from rushing into the crowed that very instant was the staying hand Syaoran placed on his arm._

"_Let's wait a moment."_

_Suddenly a sweet wind began to swirl about the room. It circled the queen and brought with it small birds that sang around her, rising to the ceiling, dissolving into flower petals the higher they went, which then fell around her feet._

_Kurogane was mesmerized and confused._

"_The one I have chosen is the mage Fai." the queen declared and suddenly Kurogane understood._

_He saw the willowy blonde man differently as the crowd parted for him and he made his way to the throne, a carpet of flowers appearing at every step and disappearing behind him. Kurogane thought it was a bit over the top._

_The man knelt before his queen in a flourish that was all grace and poise and declared in a voice clearly meant solely for Sakura "My life to serve my Queen."_

_A great banquet followed during which each of the attendees was allowed to speak with the knight; to know him better, and with each response the mage gave, Kurogane grew increasingly opposed._

"_Tell us, good knight, of your combat experiences."_

"_There is none."_

"_Tell us of your heroic deeds, great mage knight."_

"_I've done nothing so important as this, surely nothing to brag about."_

"_From whence do you come to us, honored knight?"_

"_Oh, from very far away."_

"_What type of magic is your most practiced talent, royal queen's knight?"_

"_I would certainly say that my charming personality would qualify."_

"_Have you ever fought against anyone before in your life?!" That question came from Kurogane, whose fist slammed against the hard wood of the long table at which they were seated, he on his side of the king, Fai on the far side next to Sakura. He had finally gotten sick of the mage's dodgy answers._

_Fai leaned forward to look at him around the royal couple, regarding him with a wide smile. "Why should I want to do that, sir knight?" he returned easily. "Someone could get hurt if I did that."_

_Kurogane slammed both hands to the table this time, standing from his seat with a feral growl._

"_Highness!" the warrior proclaimed. "I fear for your life in the hands of this shifty magician." and suddenly he was looking back at Fai, fixing the man with a predatory grin. "I would offer a test, to prove his worth to you."_

_Fai returned his smile, but his was the grin of a cat, being challenged to a tree-climbing contest by a dog. It infuriated Kurogane._

"_I agree to this." Sakura stated, ever the diplomat. "Let the terms of this test be set."_

"_Combat." Kurogane declared. "Combat without rules. Any royal knight should be able to hold their own in a simple one-on-one combat, no matter the circumstance."_

"_Kurogane…" Syaoran tried to reason with his knight, but it was clear; Kurogane was beyond reason._

And so it was that the King's knight and the Queen's knight stood across from each other on the field of battle. Kurogane was a man who often accepted first impressions for it was not often that he cared to carry any encounter beyond it. He expected the wizard to open his attacks with a quick spell and he expected to have beaten him by the time that spell was cast. Kurogane had never misjudged a battle and he was sure that Fai was a name he would be able to forget very soon.

"_Are you very sure you want to do this Sir King's Knight?" Fai inquired, smiling widely at Kurogane._

"_Very sure." Kurogane replied, readying his sword, unable to stop a satisfying smirk from taking his lips._

_King Syaoran raised his hand and called out "Let the match begin!" and Kurogane charged._

_At first, it was adrenaline that pushed Kurogane toward the wizard but the further he got, the more suspicious he became. The blonde was just standing there, seemingly waiting for him to arrive and when he did, Fai simply stepped out of his way, letting him fly past._

_Kurogane growled and turned back, taking a swing at the other with his sword._

_Fai ducked._

_Kurogane thrust his sword forward._

_Fai moved aside again._

_For a long time they danced like this; Kurogane striking out and Fai avoiding him. Kurogane became irritated very quickly._

"_What the hell are you doing?!" he demanded of the blonde, stopping for a moment to shout at the other. "Why don't you fight me?!"_

"_I'm sorry." Fai answered him with a grin. "Are you not capable of defeating me unless I directly attack your person?"_

_Kurogane growled ferally. "You're cheating!" he argued, pointing his weapon across the battlefield._

"_I'm sure that there were no rules." Fai objected._

"_You're supposed to fight me!" Kurogane screamed back._

_Finally Syaoran raised his hand and called the match a draw, declaring that each of the royal knights was matched only by the other. The crowed dispersed but to Kurogane, he realized that the only blow Fai had landed had been to his pride and he knew that Fai was a name he would never forget._

Never was there a more fiercely or securely defended kingdom than the kingdom of Clow. On the field of battle, her two royal knights were an unbeatable force, perfectly in synch with one another. It was even said that they two were bonded by a deep connection and that neither could ever be defeated while in the presence of the other.

So it became the custom of evil-doers plotting against Clow to try to separate them.

"_Oi, mage. Something happened to the lights. Mage?" Kurogane called, the pitch-dark hallway silent around him._

_Suddenly a body sidled up to him, pressing lightly against his side._

_Knowing that only himself and Fai could have been there at that hour, Kurogane struck out with his blade, a man's dying scream filling the still air._

_A light appeared from the far end of the hall, held by Fai as he approached. "You called, Kuro-pu?"_

"_I told you to quit calling me that!"_

"_Oh my, can't I leave you alone for two minutes without coming back to find a new mess?"_

"_It's not my fault these idiots don't learn."_

These tactics did not work very well.

* * *

During the annual spring festival, it was Sakura's duty as queen of Clow to lead the ceremonial blessing of the soldiers, a duty for which she was required to prepare a full day in advance, purifying her body in a sacred, hidden spring.

Guarding her during this purification had always been Kurogane's duty but now that Sakura had her own knight it would be Fai's duty as well as his own.

_Sakura walked the path between guards to the purifying pool, head held high in duty. At the pool only her personal guards would be allowed to stay with her. _

_Kurogane and Fai politely turned their backs as her thin robes were dropped to the floor and she stepped into the water. _

"_Fai-san," she called calmly and dutifully, Fai rose and turned to her, bowing down on one knee. "Your command, my lady." _

"_Please remove this snake for me, Fai-san." she asked of him and Fai responded to her calm nature. _

"_Of course my princess." _

"_Snake?!" Kurogane stood, instantly drawing his sword to find Fai had already stepped into the waters and gathered the snake by the neck, still alive…_

Indeed, Fai was the sole source of Kurogane's vexation. The man was calm and gentle when concern and action were called for, silent when explanations were in order, happy when he should have been serious and sad when he should have been happy…

_The men of the royal guard were drinking and laughing at the festivities after the spring celebration. Syaoran and Sakura had retired to their royal chamber, guarded by a warning spell Fai had erected in their stead, and Kurogane and Fai were drinking and laughing with the soldiers, relieved of their duties for the night._

_At least, Kurogane was laughing. Fai had slowly spent the last ten minutes easing himself away from the group until he'd found himself well and truly alone with not but his drink for companionship._

_Fai wandered into the palace gardens, admiring the night-blooming flowers as he made his way to the hedge-labyrinth at the garden's center._

_He stood at the labyrinth's opening for a time, staring inside, wondering if he could possibly lose himself therein._

"_Mage."_

_Startled, Fai turned back to find that Kurogane had followed him. Fai smiled. Of course. It was impossible to evade Kurogane's watchful eye. But he didn't want to speak with the other right now. He wanted to be alone. So he dropped his mug and raced inside, disappearing among the greenery of the labyrinth._

_Fai had seen the labyrinth from above, from the castle windows, but he'd never truly studied it. He made it to the center but he couldn't remember which of the many paths was the exit._

_He doubted that Kurogane would just let him go so he had to either wait until Kurogane got himself lost to take the entrance path back where he'd come from, or wait for Kurogane to catch him._

_Fai did not have to wait long. Kurogane burst out from the path only a moment later, clearly annoyed with him for running._

"_What the hell's your problem? Why did you run from me when I called out to you?"_

_Fai offered Kurogane one of his dazzling smiles. "I wanted to see if Kuro-ru could find me!" he declared. "What a good sense of direction you have! King Syaoran must surely be proud of you!"_

"_Shut up." Kurogane commanded him and for once, Fai seemed content to do as he was told. "Why do you always have to show me that false face?"_

"_I don't know what you…"_

_Kurogane didn't want to hear another lie, so he cut Fai off mid sentence. "Of all people, _me_. I should be the one you confess to. I should be the one who knows you best. We fight side-by-side, our lives in each other's hands every day."_

_Kurogane made his way across the small circular clearing and grasped the sorcerer by the wrist, holding it up, holding him in place, the only way he felt secure in his whereabouts._

"_My queen knows me." Fai whispered. "I am good enough for her."_

_Kurogane was taken aback and almost loosed his grip but held it steady. "This has nothing to do with them." he argued back. "This is about _us_."_

_Fai yanked his arm away. "This is about _you_ and your incessant need to _solve _me like some sort of mystery."_

_Kurogane had never been a man of words and so, he ran out of them rather quickly. And when they were gone, actions were all he had left._

_Kurogane reached out for the mage again, grabbing Fai's wrist once more and yanking him forward, crashing his lips against the blonde's in a powerful kiss suffused with all his frustrations and the replies he was unable to voice into words._

"_I don't care about your past or your secrets. What I want is your _trust_."_

_Fai studied him only for an instant before he returned the knight's kiss, flinging himself at Kurogane so suddenly that he knocked the knight to the grass below._

In the kingdom of Clow, ruled just and fairly by it's king and queen, the Lord Syaoran and Lady Sakura, there live the world's most formidable knights.

King's Knight Kurogane and Queen's Knight Fai are said to be unbeatable in battle. Kurogane's heritage can be traced back to the noblest of knights and guards while Fai's true abilities forever remain as undisclosed as his past.

Tales of their glorious deeds and bravery spread far and wide. Why, not even the supernatural can phase these warriors for they are often seen disappearing together into the labyrinth in the royal garden which is said to have been haunted. The cries and long, drawn-out moans of spirits had been heard emanating from the labyrinth ever since a particular spring festival that no one can seem to remember well due to excessive celebration.

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	10. 1st World 6 mo

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: I'll be taking a break now to try and write something for Halloween, so, no more updates till next month (or until I finish it, whichever comes first).

* * *

1st World: revisited

{6 Months since arrival}

Large paws struck the forest floor as a lean, black body raced through the trees at top speed. Adrenaline coursed through Kurogane's veins. He was going so fast, it felt as though he were cutting through the air.

Kurogane would never go so far as to say that he enjoyed being a dog but he could admit that he loved the feeling he got from running through the forest this way. He'd made it his morning routine some weeks ago.

Every day was much the same as the last on Fai's mountain; Kurogane would get up and take his run while Fai bathed in the lake or slept in and by the time that Kurogane returned, breakfast would be cooking. The kitchen floor would be crowded with cats and he would step lightly between them, glad at least, that he was taller than them. Fai would split his breakfast with him and then it was on to the rest of the day. They spent most of the daylight hours outdoors and the nighttime hours indoors. Fai would read to him in front of the fireplace before bed and ask for input every now and again.

It was a good life for a dog. But that didn't mean that Kurogane wanted to live it until his dying day.

As Kurogane neared the lake, the sounds of splashing caught his attention and soon Fai came into view. He was scrubbing out his hair and when he saw Kurogane running toward him he threw out his arms and shouted. "Come join me, Kuro-pu!"

Kurogane changed course and leapt into the air. It felt like flying…until he hit the water. It was like a slap in the face. The water spray flew into the air and hit Fai's laughing form full on. Kurogane had acted without thought. He'd heard Fai calling out to him, seen his arms spread wide with that broad grin and he hadn't even _thought_. As soon as he'd hit the water and realized what he'd done, Kurogane turned around and swam back to shore.

Fai called out behind him, disappointed and confused, but Kurogane didn't turn back. He shook himself off on the bank and ran from the lake, back toward the house. It was just an impulse, he told himself. It was the kind of thing that happened to people all the time. It had only happened because he'd gotten comfortable.

Kurogane rounded the house and stopped dead in his tracks. A woman was standing in the yard. She seemed to be looking around for something. There was something in the way she was standing, as though she was ashamed to be standing there, that aggravated Kurogane. His nose wrinkled in a snarl as he bared his teeth at her.

The woman looked to him and shrieked. From behind him, Kurogane could hear the pounding of feet.

"Kurogane, Kurogane stop!" he cried and though Kurogane hated being told what to do, he did settle down.

Kurogane kept a steady gaze on the woman as Fai came up beside him. He was dripping wet and naked. Kurogane did a double-take. _Geeze!,_ he thought, did this guy have something against clothing?!

The woman was staring at him in horror and while Kurogane realized that the sight must have been quite a shock to her, it certainly didn't warrant that look of disgust Fai was getting - not to mention that she was staring.

Kurogane moved in front of Fai so that her gaze fell squarely between his eyes and gave her a warning look.

"Pardon my appearance, miss." Fai said, settling a calming hand on top of Kurogane's head, rubbing it gently between the ears. "When I heard you screaming, I was so concerned I didn't have time to gather my clothes. Is there some way I can help you?"

She seemed hesitant to speak but after a moment, during which (to Kurogane's satisfaction) she was looking at Fai's _face_, she finally did answer him.

"You're the wizard, aren't you; the one who can grant any wish?"

"I am." Fai affirmed. "But I have to tell you, miss, there is _no one_ who can grant _any_ wish."

"It is _lady_, not _miss_." she corrected him. "I am married to a very wealthy lord."

Kurogane snorted but Fai nodded understandingly. "Then perhaps you could tell me your problem, my lady." he suggested delicately.

The woman blushed, surprising Kurogane somewhat. She didn't really strike him as the kind to be embarrassed by anything. "Something terrible has happened." Her hands hovered awkwardly in front of her. "I must have your word that none will ever hear of this."

"Of course." Fai answered.

It didn't seem to make her feel any better but she swallowed her pride. "While my husband was away I had an affair and…and there is evidence of it. I wish for you to make it go away. As if it never happened."

Fai seemed to be considering his words carefully. "You wish to no longer be burdened with the child of your lover, is that right?"

"It's not my _child_." the woman shrieked desperately. "Will you do it or not?"

Kurogane knew there was some reason he didn't like this bitch. What a selfish whore. Fai would show her.

Fai nodded. "I will."

Kurogane looked back in shock. He _knew_ Fai. Fai would never do something so drastic for such a selfish reason. But now that he thought of it, Fai had never told him the cats' dreams.

"But there is a price. You must live here for a year…as a cat. If you can remember yourself at the end of that year, I will change you back and you will no longer have a child."

"A cat!" the woman cried. "Are you crazy!"

"That is the price." Fai confirmed. "But understand that every cat you see was once a human being with a wish that was forgotten."

"Are you saying I have so feeble a mind that I could forget _this_?" the woman demanded.

Fai did not answer her.

A moment passed. The woman's eyes darted back and forth as she searched her mind for some alternative but Kurogane knew she would find nothing, because this was the only option that didn't leave a trail.

Finally, the woman nodded and Fai asked Kurogane to stand back.

Kurogane did as instructed and watched as Fai weaved the magic upon the air that transformed the woman from a human into a cat. This must have been what it looked like when he was transformed into a dog, Kurogane thought. When it was finished, Fai approached the new cat but it hissed at him and skittered off toward the house.

"Don't worry." the magician said to the dog. "Her kitten will have a much better life than any child she could have birthed."

That said, Fai made his way slowly back to the lake for his clothes, leaving Kurogane behind in the front yard to think on the events that had taken place that morning.

* * *

That night before the fireplace, Fai red a book about a lonely king and his love who was trapped in another dimension. Several cats were curled around the living room, some brave enough to lie next to Kurogane to be closer to the fire. Looking about the room, Kurogane couldn't tell which was the woman from that morning. There were at least two or three other pregnant cats. He hoped that she had forgotten herself by the time she gave birth.

Kurogane stretched his neck across Fai's leg on the floor, absently tilting his head while Fai scratched behind his ears.

"Kuro-woof, was the boy's shirt blue or red?" Fai asked and Kurogane huffed. He'd been thinking. He hadn't heard.

"Were you spacing or thinking?" Fai asked and Kurogane barked twice quietly, for the second option.

Fai nodded, satisfied, and closed the book. "Let's go to bed."

Kurogane went on ahead and pushed open the door for the blonde.

Fai thanked him as he passed though and climbed into bed.

Kurogane watched him for a moment. He wondered why Fai stayed here, alone on this mountain, year after year. Was he cursed himself; cursed to remain here granting or listening to other people's selfish desires one after another forever? Or was he merely hiding here, away from other people for lack of a proper life to live? Maybe he'd been driven here.

Kurogane shook his head. It shouldn't have been any of his business anyway. His year was half up now. Fai would lift his curse and he would leave this mountain and he likely would never come back.

Fai was watching him from his bed, beneath his blankets. He smiled a small smile and pulled the blankets up, scooting back in silent invitation. Kurogane paused. He wondered, suddenly, how Fai thought of him. Did the mage see him as a poor beast or could he still see the man? Kurogane had tried to make the best of his life as a dog. He was a dog, after all so it was no use treating him like a human but he had to wonder how Fai would look at him, if he were standing in front of him as a man instead.

"Kuro-tan?" Fai questioned, a slight concern in his voice.

Kurogane wondered if it had looked like he'd spaced out again. Slowly, he made his way to the bed. Kurogane stood, resting one paw on the mattress, looking Fai in the eyes. He didn't know why he was accepting his offer. There was a pull in him, a force that drew him to the mage but what bothered him most about that feeling was that he couldn't tell if it was coming from the human part of him…or the dog part.

Kurogane climbed into bed and Fai lay the covers over him and slept soundly throughout the night.

* * *

Post whatevers: Why did the woman agree to leave her husband for a year, you ask? In this world she would have blamed it on having been spirited away...just in case anyone was wondering.

(MINOR SPOILERS) Tsubasa manga is over. *cries* Where's series 2? Come on CLAMP! Seriously, they left it wide open for more. Kuro can pick up a new arm when they go back to Piffle (not that he's any less without it) and Fai is now using magic. If CLAMP doesn't write more somebody else will have to.

As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	11. 8th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: ...

* * *

8th World: An Early Bird

_AWK!_

Kurogane cringed as he heard the bird's call in the distance and slipped into a department store on the main street as discretely as possible.

It was said that the bird could find you anywhere. Kurogane knew it was just a matter of time, that he would be found eventually, that he couldn't hide forever. He wasn't _afraid_. He just wasn't ready to meet _that_ bird yet.

He hadn't been thinking when he'd done it. It had been snowing and he and Fai had been sitting in front of the blonde's fireplace.

Fai had seduced him!

Usually the bird waited for a decent amount of time before it came.

Kurogane heard the bird call out again and panicked, making a dash for the store's back exit.

If you heard it calling, it was after you. How Kurogane wished he could pretend it was out for somebody else.

Kurogane was on his way home at first, but then he remembered that his parents were visiting him this weekend and immediately changed course.

In the corner of his vision, he thought he saw a flash of white and picked up his pace, rounding a corner in so much haste that he nearly ran into the girl walking around it.

"Oh, Kurogane."

Kurogane cursed his luck. Not _Tomoyo_. Not _now_.

"Tomoyo. Hey, I'm kinda in a hurry right now. I'll have to give you a call later, ok?"

"A call?" She sounded confused but Kurogane couldn't be bothered with that right now. He was too busy glancing around for signs of the bird.

"Weren't we were all having dinner together tonight…with Fai and your parents?" she asked and Kurogane's brain short-circuited.

He'd completely forgotten that. And his parents didn't know about Fai yet and if the bird caught him before dinner - or worse…_at_ dinner…!

"I…I have to go!" Kurogane yelled over his shoulder as he raced down the sidewalk away from Tomoyo.

After a few blocks, Kurogane began to slow down. He hadn't heard the bird in a while. He stopped and strained his ears to listen for it.

The bird never gave up, but maybe…something could have happened to it. Kurogane felt his heart plummet suddenly.

He didn't want anything to happen to it! He wondered if he should turn back and look for it but he was getting close to Fai's house now. Maybe it would make more sense to talk to Fai first.

Kurogane kept going the way he'd been going. What would he do if it never came? It was one thing to want to escape the bird when you knew it was coming, but it was something else for it not to come after you knew it was trying to. Would Fai be relieved if it didn't come, or would it devastate him?

Kurogane's stomach was in a knot by the time that Fai's house came into view. Then he noticed the blonde standing on the front porch and cradled in his arms was a small bundle.

Kurogane stopped at the foot of the two steps that led to the porch and Fai smiled down at him.

"Look, Kuro-rin!" he said, opening the bundle for him to see. A tiny baby was sleeping wrapped in the blanket in Fai's arms. "She was delivered just a few minutes ago."

Slowly, Kurogane stepped forward, swallowing nervously.

"Isn't she perfect?" Fai asked, a loving tone in his voice.

The baby yawned and opened her eyes and Kurogane gasped. "She has…my eyes."

Fai nodded, his smile widening. "The stork brought us a wonderful child."

And Kurogane had to agree as he climbed the steps and embraced them both.

"Now we just have to figure out how to tell my parents."

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	12. 1st World 8 mo

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: I want to only be working on "All That I Am" right now but it isn't so. I'm working on that and this and a new fic I'm getting into. Before I post the 10 month marker, I'll have to finish another world but I've already started that too.

* * *

1st world: revisited

_{ 8 months since arrival}_

Kurogane had lost track of time a while back. He couldn't exactly tell how long it had been since he'd first come to Fai's mountain but he wasn't too worried about it. He trusted that Fai would keep his promise to him when a year was up. Until a full year had passed, it really didn't matter how long it had been.

It had begun to snow recently and Kurogane found that the cool snow was comfortable to lay in at the height of the day. Fai seemed to like it too. He liked to stand outside whenever it snowed and stare up at the sky, watching the flakes as they fell.

One night, Kurogane found him outside beneath the light of a full moon, watching the snow fall as it blanketed him in a dusting of white. The temperature seemed pleasant to Kurogane but he realized that it was probably a bit too cold for Fai to be out in it with nothing heavy to cover him. He stood beside Fai for a moment, just keeping him company before he took the blonde back inside.

Kurogane wondered how Fai had lived before he had come here. The cats didn't seem to be overly concerned about him. Before he had come here, had Fai stood in the snow like this until he'd gotten himself sick?

The nights became long, the days short, and Fai was much quieter than he had been in the summer. They spent many long hours sitting side by side watching the snow fall peacefully to the ground.

"Would you like to hear a secret, Kuro-woof?" Fai's soft voice sounded like the wind that made the snowflakes dance around them as they leaned back against the front door on a blanket to watch.

Kurogane's ear twitched, a signal to let Fai know he was listening, and Fai smiled, looking out at the white covered trees of the forest.

"I'm not the only person like me in the world." Fai said. "A long time ago…_I_ had a wish."

Kurogane looked up to see the sorrowful look in the blonde's eyes as he looked out at the cold snow.

"Looking back now…I understand that it was a foolish wish…and I wish I'd never made it at all."

Kurogane could hear the strain in Fai's voice and stood quickly when he noticed a lone tear slide down his companion's cheek. His heart hurt to see it so he moved to clean it away but Fai would not let him.

"All wishes are foolish" the sorcerer said, a sudden coldness in his tone "and all the people who make them are fools." Fai shoved him away as he stood and retreated into the house.

Kurogane narrowed his eyes as he watched the door close behind the human.

For several days afterward, as long as the snow fell, Fai remained in a sour mood. It made Kurogane irritable too. He could hear the subtle undertones in Fai's voice and answered them bearing his teeth.

When the snow stopped falling, and the sun began warming the snow at midday, Fai's temperament warmed in kind but Kurogane had been irritable of late and remained thus. Fai's lightened mood only seemed to irritate him more. Why should Fai be happy so suddenly? Nothing had changed. Why should Fai be allowed to flip his moods on and off like a switch?

Thinking of it added to Kurogane's irritation and whenever Kurogane got frustrated, things became much harder to think through. Everything frustrated him. The stupid cats didn't like being outside in the cold for too long and were getting cabin fever, vying over territory. Their scents were mixing and mingling and fighting for dominance, invading his space. Finally he got sick of it and decided to mark his area by the fireplace to drive them off, but there were too many to drive away like that. They continued to invade his space so he got vengeful and started marking everything; the kitchen floor where they gathered to beg, the couch they liked to lay on, and Fai's chair…especially Fai's chair. Fai spent too much time petting those annoying cats in that chair.

Fai had not been at home when this particular incident had occurred. He had been out gathering firewood and Kurogane might admit that it was possible he'd gone a bit overboard but he thought that Fai's reaction when he walked through the door was a bit extreme. He dropped all of the firewood in the doorway and covered his mouth, coughing from the smell. Then he opened all of the windows, despite the cold, and got out the cleaning supplies.

Kurogane tried to stop him, blocking his path, but Fai only moved around him, taking the bucket of soapy water straight to his chair.

Why? Why was he cleaning it so fast? Why the chair first? Did he like the cats better than him? Didn't he want Kurogane to have _any_ place for himself? Any attention at all?

Fai put his rag down, looking Kurogane square in the eyes, interrupting his barking.

"Do you know what you did?" he asked and his tone was calm and cut through Kurogane's rambling thoughts.

In his eyes, Kurogane found a profound sadness and disappointment.

"Can you help me clean it?" Fai turned away from him, returning to his scrubbing. It was clear that he didn't expect Kurogane to do anything.

"What he did?" Kurogane looked around the room at the cats and the wet spots and remembered his anger towards them. It still made sense to him but Fai's disappointment hadn't come from not wanting his house to smell like Kurogane's private territory. As he looked around, the cats looked back at him, seeing an unwanted housemate, a possible threat, an animal that had gone crazy in their master's house.

An animal that went around marking up territory that wasn't his to ward off pets. When he barked at Fai, the wizard only heard barking and now he had an offensive-smelling house and a _dog_ to blame for it.

Kurogane went and got another rag, dropped it in Fai's bucket and took it to the kitchen. He wasn't very efficient, the floor got sloppy and wetter than it had been because he couldn't wring the cloth out but he went to get a towel to dry the excess before moving on to another spot.

Kurogane was not an animal. He was a man and he was only spending a single year in the body of a dog. He had a curse and Fai was going to lift it and return him to his human form. Fai was a solitary magician who had only known him as a man for a matter of minutes. He had not forgotten himself or his circumstances but sometimes, as the time slowly and uneventfully passed…sometimes he forgot to remember.

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	13. 9th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: I don't know that I really described their buildings well enough. Imagine an alleyway and looking ahead and to the left and to the right there are apartments, if that helps at all, or maybe it was obvious to begin with...

* * *

9th World: _Fai and His Neighbor in the Summer Heat_

Fai could have sworn the sweltering midsummer heat was killing him. His air conditioner had given up and in an effort to find some relief, he had pulled it out of the window and opened the window to the suffocating, humid air outside. Sweat slid down the sides of his face. His sleeveless white shirt was plastered to his chest. From his window, Fai had a perfect view of at least a dozen other apartment windows strung together by clotheslines and overlooking an alleyway four stories below.

One story down and to his left, his favorite object of stalking was going through his evening routine. Every morning and evening, Kurogane Suwa cleared his living room floor and practiced kendo, regardless of the weather. Watching him was generally the highlight of Fai's day but now it was just exhausting. He was even too hot to hyuu.

Fai slid himself down to the floor, resting his chin on his forearm as he watched Kurogane practice. The man's bronze skin shimmered with the thin layer of sweat he was working up, his muscles flexing with each perfect, fluid movement. He could have been such a perfect model for the covers of dime store romance novels. He stopped to take a drink from his water bottle, letting it trickle over his head, his black, spiky hair seemingly unaffected.

Fai liked to imagine what it would feel like to run his hands across that taught chest, to feel those strong arms holding him down…but Kurogane had a girl that came to his apartment on an almost regular basis and Fai wasn't one to break other people up. Besides, she'd caught him watching one time and flipped him off.

Fai sighed heavily and closed his eyes, just because they were already half way there and had lost focus anyway. The heat made him tired and sluggish.

Fai awoke with a start when a splash of cold water hit him in the face. Sputtering, he sat up, feeling a head rush at the sudden movement.

"What the hell kind of idiot doesn't go out and buy a fan when their air conditioner kicks it?"

Fai was a little confused. "I think I have heatstroke."

"No shit."

Fai blinked back. Either Kurogane was in his apartment insulting him personally, or he was doing it via hallucination.

Kurogane rolled his eyes and stood, walking off toward the small kitchen area, pouring another glass of water from the jug in the fridge. He returned with it and held it out for Fai, who stared up at it with mild wonder.

"Take it or I'll dump this one over that empty head too." Kurogane warned and Fai reached out for the glass, taking it from him slowly.

"Can I ask…what Kuro-mun is doing in my apartment?"

Kurogane flushed pink at that and looked away quickly. "I…came though the window…when I saw you pass out. I thought you might need an ambulance."

Fai grinned up at him cheekily. "Mouth to mouth might be more effective. I think I feel a dizzy spell coming on."

Kurogane's blush exploded, spreading clear to his ears and Fai found he rather enjoyed the look.

"KUROGANE!"

Both men turned to look out the window. The girl that Fai had seen visiting Kurogane's apartment was leaning out his window, her long blue ponytail falling over one shoulder.

Flustered, Kurogane turned to the window for some small escape. "WHAT?!"

"Are you visiting that _stalker_?!" she demanded.

"NO!…Shut up! … Hey…bring my fan over here, will ya?"

The girl rolled her eyes and turned back to the apartment. "Whatever."

"Kuro-puu's so sweet to his _stalker_." Fai said, chuckling to himself.

"Shut up. It's not like I'm giving it to you. I only have one, so we'll have to share."

Fai's eyes lit up at that. "_Really?_"

Kurogane gave him a look and Fai grinned happily.

"One fan might be enough for me, but you're just so _hot_, I don't think it'd do much between us." Fai said, grinning easily up at his neighbor.

"… Do you actually sit around thinking up that crap?"

"Puu." Fai replied, pouting cutely. "I wouldn't have to if Kuro-tan would visit me once in a while."

"Or shut my blinds." Kurogane added under his breath.

"Save me, I'm feeling faint." Fai declared dramatically, falling back on the floor.

Kurogane wasn't too concerned, seeing as he'd sat his glass down carefully next to him first. He rolled his eyes at the overacting…but a small smile tugged at his lips too.

"Idiot."

* * *

_- Omake -_

Every morning and evening Kurogane moved his sparse furniture toward the walls of his apartment and practiced his kendo. On the weekends, he went to a dojo but it was too far to make the trip every day. He opened his window for fresh air and, in the heat of the summer, turned on his single standing fan to circulate the stagnant air.

There wasn't much in the city that Kurogane enjoyed; it was loud, cramped, the tap water tasted terrible, and he missed the smell of earth beneath your feet. Kurogane had come from the country and sometimes, he considered going back there. Beyond his window, Kurogane had a view of more apartment windows and clotheslines and, if he was standing in the right area, a certain blonde one floor up and to his right.

He always seemed to appear in the evenings, just as he was clearing the living room. Sometimes he sat with a book, thumbing through the pages as though he'd already read it a dozen times, dampening his finger with the tip of his tongue at each page. On breezy days, the wind sometimes lifted the pages for him and, whether or not he was finished with them, he never seemed to mind. His flyaway yellow hair always managed to get into his eyes on days like that and he was constantly brushing it away.

His name was Fai and his favorite pastime seemed to be shouting at him across the space between their apartment windows. He'd say things like "Hyuu! Kuro-poi's taking off his shirt!" and "Watching Kuro-tan is my favorite program!" and "Kuro-ga sure looks hot today!"

He was kind of surprised Fai had never shown up on his doorstep to harass him.

The first time he'd actually spoken to Fai was to tell him that his name was not Kuro-pon or Kuro-rin or Kuro-tan, it was **Kurogane**. He wasn't sure where Fai had heard his name, but he'd already known it before they'd ever spoken.

Generally, Kurogane ignored him, or his shouting anyway. It was hard to ignore the teasing grin and the blue eyes that followed him with every movement he made in his routine, sparkling in the setting sun.

Today he seemed tired. He wasn't doing well in the heat. When the summer heat had gotten bad, he had hooked up an air conditioner in his window, leaning over it to tease him, but it seemed the air conditioner had died…or Fai had found it to be in his way and removed it. Either way, he was laying across his windowsill, head resting on his arms as he stared across the way into his window.

Then, just as Kurogane had finished executing a roundhouse kick, he noticed Fai slump to the side and immediately ran to his window, leaning out for a better view. The blonde had obviously passed out in the heat.

Kurogane climbed out onto the fire escape and made his way around to his neighbor's window. From this close, Kurogane could see how miserable he was. His skin was glistening with a fine sheen of sweat. He was so fair-skinned. He really wasn't made for the heat.

Kurogane nudged him but didn't get any response so he eased the blonde inside of his apartment and crawled in after him. He wasn't really sure about being in someone else's apartment like this but he figured, after all the harassment this guy had been giving him, he could pretty much do whatever the hell he wanted and Fai didn't have much right to complain.

He found an empty glass in the dish drainer and filled it with water from the tap. Then he took it back and tipped it down over his neighbor's head. Kurogane would have been lying if he said that the shocked look the blonde had when he jolted up didn't satisfy him just a little.

"What the hell kind of idiot doesn't go out and buy a fan when their air conditioner kicks it?" Kurogane demanded.

Fai seemed to be confused. "I think I have heatstroke."

"No shit."

The blonde didn't really seem to have it together. Maybe he was still feeling light-headed. Kurogane rolled his eyes and stood, walking off toward the small kitchen area, pouring another glass of water from the jug in the fridge. He returned with it and held it out for Fai, who stared up at it with mild wonder.

"Take it or I'll dump this one over that empty head too." Kurogane warned and Fai reached out for the glass, taking it from him slowly.

"Can I ask…what Kuro-mun is doing in my apartment?"

Kurogane flushed pink at that and looked away quickly. "I…came though the window…when I saw you pass out. I thought you might need an ambulance."

Fai grinned up at him cheekily. "Mouth to mouth might be more effective. I think I feel a dizzy spell coming on."

Kurogane's blush exploded, spreading clear to his ears.

"KUROGANE!"

Grateful for the distraction, Kurogane turned to answer and found Umi leaning out his window. Fai really had a much better view of his apartment than he had of Fai's, he realized.

"WHAT?!"

"Are you visiting that _stalker_?!" she demanded.

"NO!" he shouted back, maybe a little too quickly.

Umi had somehow gotten it into her head that Kurogane couldn't handle himself when it came to his exuberant neighbor, because there weren't really people like Fai where he came from. Just because his mother and her mother got together to gossip about him behind his back didn't mean that she needed to butt into his life…even if he wouldn't have been able to get by in the city without her. Umi had had to teach him how to buy his subway pass and even personally bullied his landlord whenever something broke and didn't get fixed right away. Kurogane was perfectly capable of frightening his own landlord.

"Shut up! … Hey…bring my fan over here, will ya?"

The girl rolled her eyes and turned back to the apartment. "Whatever."

"Kuro-puu's so sweet to his _stalker_." Fai said, chuckling to himself.

"Shut up. It's not like I'm giving it to you. I only have one, so we'll have to share."

Fai's eyes lit up at that. "_Really?_"

Kurogane gave him a look and Fai grinned happily.

"One fan might be enough for me, but you're just so _hot_, I don't think it'd do much between us." Fai said, grinning easily up at his neighbor.

"… Do you actually sit around thinking up that crap?"

"Puu." Fai replied, pouting cutely. "I wouldn't have to if Kuro-tan would visit me once in a while."

"Or shut my blinds." Kurogane added under his breath.

"Save me, I'm feeling faint." Fai declared dramatically, falling back on the floor.

Kurogane wasn't too concerned, seeing as he'd sat his glass down carefully next to him first. He rolled his eyes at the overacting…but a small smile tugged at his lips too.

"Idiot."

* * *

Post whatevers: Yes, I know a roundhouse kick doesn't have anything to do with kendo but I imagine Kurogane is well-rounded during his practice sessions. And no, their fire escapes are not connected, Kurogane had to actually jump from one platform to the other. As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	14. 10th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP

Author's Note: Well, I had so much fun with the Beauty and the Beast one, I decided to do one for Aladdin. I might even do other Disney movies. Speaking of Disney, did you know that the Disney name is on the book "Hero" by Perry Moore. It's a story about a gay superhero. Well, so far as I've read it, it's the story about a teenager whose gay and just discovering his own healing power whose father has a serious predudice against superpowered heroes and gay people. ANYWAY... sorry to get off topic, on to KuroxFai...

* * *

10th World: A Stable Hand and a Kitchen Cook in the Sultan's Palace

Kurogane had heard the clamor coming from the city streets clear through the palace's high outer wall - and that was saying something. All the noise was spooking the sultan's horses. He traversed the large stables in annoyed strides, trying to keep them calm.

Ever since the young princess had come of age, every ass with a servant to wipe it had been parading in and out of Agrabah trying to win her hand in marriage - in with their stuffed egos and out where they landed after she'd kicked them to the curb. He couldn't say he _blamed_ her. The last pompous idiot who'd come through had managed to get on his nerves and he'd never even _seen_ the man. His horse and his vassal had been more than enough for Kurogane to deal with.

The closer the procession got to the palace gates, the louder the noise became and Kurogane was forced to evacuate the building, lest the horses break the doors of their stables and stampede and there he was met by a terrific sight. Terrific or _horrific_, depending on one's point of view.

A great number of servants was leading a procession his way the likes of which he'd never seen. Animals of all sizes and shapes were paraded toward the stables and when they'd arrived, the head man, one of the sultan's guard, passed him the order that the lot should be stabled immediately.

Kurogane's jaw dropped as he surveyed the menagerie and the guard dropped a quick inventory into his hands before taking his leave with the many servants.

He tore his eyes away from the exotic animals to glance down at the list: _53 purple peacocks, 95 white Persian monkeys, 60 elephants, lamas, bears, lions, various birds…_

It took a moment for it all to sink in.

"_**What the hell?!**_"

* * *

It took him three hours with all of his subordinate's help to move the animals into the stables and when it was all done, they barely had room to move around inside.

"Kurogane, sir," someone called to him from somewhere on the other side of an elephant where Kurogane couldn't see them "what do I feed the bears? I don't have any lama food here. Can we feed them hay?"

"Damned if I know!" Kurogane yelled back. "Shit! Does anyone know anything here!"

"_What?_" the other man called, obviously he hadn't heard Kurogane over the din being made by the various animal cries filling the air.

"**I'm going to find out!**" he roared, squeezing past elephants as he made his way toward the exit.

Kurogane, being a stable hand, didn't hear much of the palace gossip and often, situations were over before he ever heard they'd taken place but then, generally they didn't effect _him_. People came and went from the palace and he did his job the same weather they were there or not but _this_ was just getting ridiculous.

Kurogane entered the palace through a servant's entrance and made his way to the kitchens. Even the palace servants were rushing hurriedly around him. And he thought he'd been the only one the circus got dumped on. The sooner the princess got rid of this one the better.

Inside the kitchen, a crowd of cooks and attendees were cleaning up after the evening meal. Scanning the room, it took him a moment to single out the individual he was looking for, not because he blended in, but just due to the sheer number of people. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack, even given the needle was gold and the hay was black.

"Hey!" he yelled, trying to get one of the cook's attention. "Fai!"

A young blonde man looked his way and from the frustrated look in his blue eyes, Kurogane could tell the situation had been trying for him as well.

Fai slipped through the crowd and stepped out the door with him so they could talk.

"What the heck's going on around here?" Kurogane asked after Fai had closed the door behind them.

"That new suitor…" Fai said. He seemed lost. Fai wasn't used to complaining, Kurogane knew. The blonde hardly ever complained about _anything_. "He brought his own bakers with him and they…they took over and they wouldn't let me do _anything_. I tried to offer them some help with dinner, and they ignored me."

Kurogane gritted his teeth. Fai wasn't like the other servants. A slaver had brought Fai from a foreign land a few years ago and the sultan had freed him and given him work in the palace. Fai had been extremely grateful. Kurogane knew that Fai was worrying about his place in the palace should these new bakers remain in Agrabah.

"Don't worry." Kurogane said, blowing it all off with confidence. "The princess'll get rid of it all soon enough."

"I don't know…" Fai didn't sound so sure.

"What do you know?" Kurogane asked, finally getting to the information that had brought him to the kitchens in the first place.

"His name is Prince Ali Ababwa and he brought this magic flying carpet with him. The sultan's really taken with him. I heard the prince even let the sultan ride on his carpet. What if the sultan decides he should marry the princess? I heard that it may come down to one of the suitors or…the royal vizier."

Kurogane made a face. "That old creep?"

"Something's happening, Kuro-pon. I get this strange feeling from all of it. I don't like it."

"Look," Kurogane said, holding Fai's arms, trying to sound reassuring, "I give this bozo three days, tops. And there is no way the sultan would _ever_ consent to marry his daughter to that old windbag vizier."

But Fai didn't seem to want to hear it. "Can we just…get out of here for a while?" he asked, pulling away. "The prince's servants have just about finished my job for the day anyway."

"Well I hope you don't think we're going to the stables." Kurogane groused, following Fai down the hallway. "Not unless you want to come back smelling like lama shit."

"I heard about that." Fai said, pityingly. "The sad part is that I don't think they'll miss you. I just overheard some of the prince's servants ordering other servants to tend the animals."

"_They're taking __**MY**__ job too?!_" Kurogane shouted. "If this _isn't_ over in three days, I'm giving Prince _Abooboo's_ flunkies the boot myself."

Fai laughed. "Let's get some time off and rent a room at the inn in town. I'm sure it would be easy with all the extra help."

Kurogane blushed. "Idiot, if we do that everyone in town will be talking."

"They can listen too, if they want." Fai offered, laughing at the way the crimson spread to Kurogane's ears. "Nyaa!" he cried, taking off at a run ahead of Kurogane.

"Get…Get back here stupid!" Kurogane yelled, giving chase.

- Three Days Later -

When Kurogane returned to his stables, all of the prince's animals were gone. Everything was back to normal.

"Kurogane!" One of the stable boys came running to him. "I can't believe you're still alive!"

"What?"

"Well, after the palace flew away and we couldn't find you…"

"The palace _what_???"

"Where have you _been_, Kurogane?" the boy asked, disbelievingly. "Are you telling me you didn't even know about all the genie magic flying around these past few days? The whole freaking palace _flew away_! Whatever the heck you were doing must have been some distraction!"

Kurogane rubbed the back of his neck and grinned in spite of himself. "You could say that."

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	15. 11th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: This is absolutely the last new world until I update the first world!

This little string of one-shots is nearing 200 reviews. I'm so happy! I got this review from Nick F. suggesting being shipwrecked, among other ideas, and it got me thinking about this idea I'd had a while back. I get lots of ideas and jot them down and stuff them in a folder or notebook for later. Anyway, I dug that idea out, just a sentence or two on a piece of scrap paper, and wrote this...taking yet another break from the third chapter of part 2 of All That I Am... Yes, I know... maybe it's the weather...

Kazuhiko Ryuu Fei is from Clover, by the way and the title is inspired by the song. For some reason, it's refusing to center anything...

_

* * *

_

11th World:

_~ Love Led Us Here ~_

The Iron Hand of the King was Phelor's greatest and most distinguished naval vessel, truly the embodiment of the King's will extending an all-encompassing hand outward across the seas. Her captain was the highly decorated yet aloof Admiral Kazuhiko Ryuu Fei. It was often said that if a man was somehow able to serve on the admiral's ship, he was guaranteed promotion. Serving under Admiral Kazuhiko was considered the highest honor in the Phelor navy.

The second in command under Admiral Kazuhiko was Kurogane Suwa. Whatever the admiral might have lacked in strength or honor of serving the King, Kurogane more than made up for. He was the very image of a stoic and proud officer. Every waking moment of his life was dedicated to his duty; an example for all officers serving alongside him. In fact, it was rumored that the only thing holding Kurogane Suwa back from captaining a ship himself was that he made Kazuhiko look good.

It was a sad fact, known only among the higher-ranking officers, of course, that Kazuhiko had been trying to retire from the navy for several years and would have jumped ship if he thought he could get away with it. But he was tethered by past glory, trussed up like a Harvest Moon turkey.

-

One of the many duties of The Iron Hand of the King was to free the seas from the black threat of piracy plaguing the waters in which trading vessels made their routes. Armed with twelve side cannons and 400 of the King's best sailors, it was not often a difficult task to overpower any pirate ship unlucky enough to cross their path.

The Maiden's Fury, a small pirating vessel with a mere 200 men had been caught off guard, presumably on her way to shore after a long voyage. It had put up little resistance, the buccaneers aboard weakened by the seas and the hope of docking soon. Overseeing such a small victory was hardly worth an admiral's time, so it was Kurogane who stood watch as the officers led their captives aboard, shackled hand and foot. They shuffled onto the deck in a long line, heads hung low as the reality of their fate set in.

It was nothing less than the filthy dogs deserved, Kurogane reasoned. Piracy was rewarded with death.

As they filed on past, a dirty mop of blonde hair caught his attention. His eyes narrowed as he watched the man. The long strands of his hair hung down, covering his face and the long, worn blue coat that he wore hid much of his figure from view. He fell behind a step and his wrists were yanked forward by the chain thread through his shackles, causing him to jerk and the man raised his head for just a moment, granting Kurogane just a glimpse of his face.

In the span of that single instant, Kurogane's mind flooded with images and clips of memory, sharp and painful as a razor's blade against his skin - blonde hair flying out in a moment of blissful release, a hauntingly brilliant smile, crystal blue eyes, a teasing laugh, hot, wet sheets, and a twisting, wrenching feeling in his chest where his heart had once been torn apart.

Kurogane Suwa's crimson eyes narrowed, clouded with burning vengeance.

* * *

The Iron Hand of the King sailed into a storm that night. Gale force winds assaulted the hull and torrential rains beat against her crew as they scrambled desperately to keep her in one piece. But the storm facing the King's ship was nothing compared to the storm waging within Kurogane Suwa as he made his way to the ship's brig where he had ordered the officers to isolate a single blonde pirate.

The large door sectioning off the isolation cell generally reserved for pirate captains creaked loudly on its hinges as Kurogane shoved it inward. The tight space was illuminated only by a single torch, fastened to the wall outside of the cell, casting its flickering light over the cell's lone occupant, pulling himself to his feet to face his captor.

Kurogane slammed the outer door shut. It had been five years since the last time he had laid eyes on the man before him and, to this moment, he didn't know what words he would say to the other. He had tried to forget him, tried to let go of the anger and the spite…and the longing…that consumed him whenever he thought of the blonde. He had given everything he had over to his career but it had never been enough, because _this man_ had stolen something from him. And now he wanted it back.

"_**Fai**_**.**"

He ground the name out, low and dangerous. It was a poison on his tongue that he had not tasted in five years.

The man's attention snapped to him instantly and for just a moment, he appeared to be in shock but it settled quickly, melting into an easy smile, almost relieved. It infuriated Kurogane but whether because it resembled nothing of the smiles the blonde wore in his memories or because he had the nerve to seem relieved, was unclear.

The pirate strode forward, draping himself over the bars of his cell, shadowed blue eyes at half-mast above the lazy smile. "I'm glad to see Kuro-pon is doing well." He spoke conversationally, as thought the past meant nothing to him.

Kurogane slammed his fist against the bars, jarring him. "Don't you _dare_ call me that you bastard!" he shouted. He took out the key from his pocket, unlocking the cell's tiny door to let himself inside and grabbed up the man inside by the dirty lapels of his once-proud coat, slamming him back against the wall. "I swore if I ever saw your lying face again I'd kill you!"

Fai's smile slid ever wider. "Isn't that nice."

Kurogane pulled back with every intention of wiping that smug grin right off his face when suddenly, the ship lurched to the side, accompanied by a deafening crash, sending them both reeling.

The threat of a sinking ship sent Kurogane into action, leaving Fai behind as he ran toward the deck to assess the damage.

It was chaos on board The Iron Hand of the King. The mast had been hit by lightening and fallen, split down the middle, onto the deck, cracking boards and killing officers on impact. They were left to die beneath it as officers scrambled to put out the fire that was quickly spreading along the fallen mast.

Kurogane instantly went into action, taking up buckets of water alongside the crew to put out the fire as quickly as possible. The rain was pouring down on them still, soaking them through and helping them to bring the flames under control but the waves crashing against the hull simultaneously were growing larger, sweeping over them and threatening to wash the deck clean of them.

A shout of "Hold on!" reached Kurogane's ears just before a gigantic wave crashed over the ship but it was far too late for him to take action as the wall of water hit him full force, carrying him along with it to sea.

Fai, who had found himself suddenly unattended and unrestrained, had made his way onto the ship's deck, bracing himself in the doorway as he watched the great wave overtake the ship. Several yards away he caught sight of Kurogane just as he disappeared into the spray and, wasting no time, he raced toward the railing and leapt after, disappearing into the roiling waters below.

* * *

_The Sea Tiger's Paw was enduring the fifth month of a long six month voyage to transport treasure from the coast of Milian to Phelor. Crossing the great Suoen Ocean was a hardship on any man, but Kurogane Suwa, one of 300 plus low-ranked officers on board, was finding the journey…somewhat more bearable than most others._

"_Ah…Ah…"_

_Kurogane pulled Fai down, kissing him roughly through the final cry of ecstasy before the blonde melted against him bonelessly._

"_I don't want Kuro-pyon to leave me alone in Phelor." Fai whined._

"_You could always sneak on board the next ship I sail on." Kurogane joked…half-joked._

"_I have a better idea." Fai answered. "Let's take the treasure and run away together."_

"_Don't even joke about that." Kurogane replied sternly, moving himself so that he could lay back against his pillow, Fai lying on his chest. "It's not funny."_

_Fai remained silent._

_He must have dozed off, Kurogane realized, when he looked over and noticed that Fai was no longer lying next to him. It was odd for him to leave their cabin but perhaps he was star-gazing on the deck._

_Kurogane got up and dressed himself, heading topside to find his wandering lover._

_It had been five months ago that he had discovered the stowaway on board. Fai had been heading to Milian. Kurogane had vouched for him and Fai had been given duties to earn his keep. But Fai had not gotten off in Milian. By then, neither could deny the attraction they felt for one another and Fai decided to return to Phelor with Kurogane._

_Kurogane searched the deck, talked to the sailors performing their early morning duties. The sun had not yet risen above the horizon. He looked everywhere but Fai seemed to have vanished._

_And then an alarm bell rang out, filling the dawn air with chaos._

"_The treasure's been stolen!" someone cried out. "We've been robbed! Search the ship!"_

"_One of the long boats is missing!" another man shouted and Kurogane felt something inside of him tearing slowly and painfully away._

_Fai was gone. Fai had used him. He had only been using him all along to steal the treasure._

_A terrible well of despair rose in him, deep inside, a sharp pain he wanted to tear out. It roiled and congealed and made him sick as it turned painfully to a bright, fresh, red anger and hatred._

"AGH!!!" Kurogane screamed, shooting upward. Bright light accosted his vision as he opened his eyes and quickly shut them tight against it.

It took him a moment to ground himself as he opened his eyes more slowly to fully take in his surroundings. He was no longer an officer aboard The Sea Tiger's Paw. It had been five years since those events had occurred. He was serving on The Iron Hand of the King. Fai had been captured and the ship had been caught in a storm. He had gone overboard.

Kurogane looked around him. He was lying on a beach in the warm sun and next to him was a pile of fruits, stacked neatly like an offering. Kurogane twisted around, trying to see if there was someone behind him somewhere, the someone who had picked the fruits.

The someone he found was the last person he wanted to see. Fai was sitting on the sand some yards away, apparently waiting for him to wake. He said nothing, made no gesture, no smile. His long blue coat was missing but he was clean, almost exactly as Kurogane remembered him.

"What the hell are you doing here." Kurogane demanded, forcing himself to his feet despite his swimming headache.

Fai said nothing.

"What happened to the ship? What about the crew? We're not _alone_ on this goddamned rock are we?!"

Fai merely shrugged his shoulders in response, infuriating Kurogane further.

He descended on the blonde, grabbing his shirt front and shoving him back into the sand, kneeling over him.

"Why the hell did you do it?!" He had to know. He _deserved_ to know.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" Fai returned, his tone reserved and hollow.

"No." Kurogane agreed. "It doesn't." He brought his fist down across the blonde's jaw with a satisfying smack.

For a moment Fai just lay there, his head turned to the side. Then he spat the blood from his mouth, sporting a split lower lip, and turned back to Kurogane.

"You didn't have to go to those lengths. Was it just so that you wouldn't have to get off in Milian? Is that why? Or is it just that you're a sick, sadistic bastard that takes pleasure in leading people on like you actually give a shit?!"

Fai's eyes widened as the officer's accusations finally sunk in.

"I didn't…"

"Don't you dare deny it!" Kurogane shouted, raising his fist again.

Fai cringed for the blow but it didn't come and he looked back at the man above him, meeting his eyes for the first time since seeing him again. "I loved you." he declared. "I still love you."

"You make me sick!" Kurogane shouted, shoving Fai as he stood. He wanted nothing more than to get as far away from the pirate as he possibly could.

Fai did not get up. He lay there in the sand, staring at the sky.

-

Over the next few days, as Kurogane began exploring the island and walking along the beach, he found things that had drifted ashore from The Iron Hand of the King; nothing so much as to make him think the ship had gone down, but there were things that made life a little easier.

He began gathering the stray bits of lumber to build himself a hut, to keep out the rain. A barrel of alcohol was a particularly fortunate find. It helped him to forget that he was stranded alone on a deserted island with only Fai…if he wanted company. Which he didn't. He didn't want to hear the blonde's lies, didn't want to forgive him…or forget. He wanted to drown himself in self-pity and die alone and bitter, he decided, throwing back another coconut shell full of the strong liquid venomously.

-

It was nearly two weeks later that Fai came to him. They had only interacted briefly, each keeping to themselves since that first day. Kurogane was not surprised that Fai's social complex had caused him to crack first. But then, he didn't know anything about the _real_ Fai, did he?

"Get the hell away from me." Kurogane groused as the blonde took a seat next to him in the sand, overlooking the evening sky's colors and the waves lapping gently at the shore.

"No one will ever find us here." Fai said, an obvious opening for a conversation that Kurogane didn't want to hear.

"Shut up! They'll come." He wasn't sure if he believed it but that was beside the point.

"They won't search here." Fai returned evenly. "This is Maldai, the cursed island."

Kurogane turned to him in shock. "How can you know that?" he demanded.

"I've been here." Fai answered. "On a ship that docked for water and food."

"You mean a _pirate_ ship." Kurogane accused but Fai merely nodded.

"Yes."

Silence settled between them. Maldai was in the middle of nowhere and as far as the navy was concerned, Kurogane was dead. Unless he was lucky enough to find a stray pirate ship desperate enough to stop for supplies and somehow became stupid enough to join them, he was likely going to be here for the rest of his life. It was a highly depressing thought and Kurogane wasn't sure he had enough alcohol to dampen the reality of it.

"Five years ago…" Fai began, nostalgia taking him back as he spoke "I lived in the streets of Phelor with my brother, Yuui. We slept in an abandoned building…when times were good. It was cold and wet, the roof leaked and Yuui was always sick. I bought medicine when I could, when I could convince him I'd eaten when I hadn't. But it was never enough. What Yuui really needed was a warm bed to sleep in at night and good food to eat that wasn't rotting when he got it and I couldn't get those things for him. So when I overheard from some sailors in a bar one night, that The Sea Tiger's Paw was setting sail to bring back treasure from Milian, I snuck on board with the intention of stealing it. When I met you, I thought, what a perfect situation. But five months was such a long time back then, much longer than I had ever known it would be and when I tell you that my feelings for you were honest and true, they were."

Kurogane moved to take another drink from his coconut shell but held himself back, listening instead, in spite of himself.

"After The Sea Tiger's Paw picked up her load and set sail for home, I thought every day that I wanted to tell you the truth. But I couldn't do that, because you would never let me take that treasure and I needed it. And I didn't want you to get in trouble either, for knowing what I meant to do.

But when I got back to Phelor, traveling by land, I learned that Yuui had died while I was at sea. He'd gotten sick and I wasn't even there to bring him food. I'd thrown you away and lost Yuui and all I had left was a small fortune and a black mark on my record. I gave away some of the treasure and drank the rest.

I did use you and I stole from the navy and if I had it to do over again I'd probably make all the same mistakes a hundred times over. I deserve whatever anger you have for me and I don't ask for your forgiveness. But you have to believe me, Kurogane…that the thought of you has been my admonishment these past five years and I still love you."

Kurogane looked over and caught the glistening of tears in the light of the rising moon. It was in his name that Fai gave back the heart he had taken from him all those years ago and Kurogane was surprised to find how well he had cared for it.

He passed his cup to Fai and the other received it hesitantly.

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe the realization that he was likely to spend the rest of his life on the cursed island, maybe it was just that five years of trying to fill the void in his chest with anger had worn him out, but Kurogane felt it all slip away and the only thing left…was Fai. Maybe that was all there had ever been.

"I do too." Kurogane replied, his quiet words nearly lost to the surf. But Fai heard them. "I guess…I never stopped."

Fai's tears flowed fresh and Kurogane reached out to wipe them away but Fai grasped his hand instead, pressing it to his cheek, and let himself cry.

**- 8 Years Later -**

Kurogane breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of the fragrant morning air. Perched on the windowsill were a pair of tiny colorful island birds calling out to Fai to feed them. They were more or less his pets and Kurogane nudged the blonde lying at his side. He received a moan in reply as Fai rolled away from him.

Kurogane let him sleep and got up himself, taking a moment to dip his hand into the basket of seeds that Fai kept for the birds and dropping a small handful in front of the pair.

Leaving the bedroom, Kurogane followed the rope bridge into the kitchen. Several years ago, on the other side of the island, they had discovered the curse of Maldai; several sharp rocks off the coast that often caused ships drifting too close to the island to crash. Using their wreckage, Kurogane and Fai had built themselves a grand home in the trees.

The island provided them with everything from the salvage of other ships to the fresh water pool near the island's center to the wild boars and other animals that called the island home. It wasn't a bad life, considering.

Kurogane cracked a few pheasant eggs into a frying pan and set it to cook over a small flame, adding in some mushrooms once it had started to cook.

Suddenly, a noise from the direction of the beach caught his attention. Immediately, Kurogane covered the frying pan and put out the fire, racing back to the bedroom.

He found Fai already out of bed and dressed.

Despite the island's dangerous coast, occasionally ships did attempt to stop there for supplies, mostly pirate ships. They had let them come and go, never revealing themselves. Kurogane had no desire to become a pirate and Fai had no desire to hang for it in Phelor.

This time, when they reached a vantage point overlooking the shore, the ship they found off the coast was not a pirate ship, but appeared to be a small merchant vessel. They had never seen a merchant vessel there before.

The boy who led the small team ashore seemed barely of age but he directed them with efficiency and they followed him in a way that instantly garnered Kurogane's respect for the teen. He decided to meet the boy on shore.

Fai tried to stop him but, failing in that, he hurried to catch up with him, standing at his side as Kurogane addressed the teen.

The boy introduced himself as Syaoran, cabin boy under his father on the merchant vessel White Feather. Kurogane told him that he and Fai had been shipwrecked there and Syaoran offered them passage to Milian, where his ship was headed.

It was a hard decision to make. The island had become their home; eight years was a long time and they really wanted for nothing there. But Kurogane had left behind a glittering career and human contact was a strong argument to take Syaoran up on his offer.

Kurogane looked back to Fai who seemed either to have no opinion on the subject, or was leaving the decision up to him.

Kurogane liked having his own land, where he could do whatever the hell he wanted without answering to anyone else and Fai sometimes liked to dance naked on the beach, drunk on the fermented island berries they turned into wine.

Moving always was a hassle.

"We're fine, thanks."

Syaoran was surprised at his answer, to say the least. But he didn't say anything of it. He bartered for the supplies he'd come for with chests of simple clothing and small items and they made a deal that he could stop there whenever he was passing by.

-

"Kuro-puu made a good deal." Fai remarked, sorting through the clothing that Syaoran had left them.

"Maybe I'll make a business of it." Kurogane replied. Maldai was a convenient stopping place for anyone knowing exactly where to come ashore.

"I'm glad you decided to stay." Fai said after a time and Kurogane looked to him and grinned.

"Care to celebrate?" he asked, holding up a bottle of rum Syaoran had given them.

Fai returned the grin and took the bottle from Kurogane happily, blue eyes glinting with mischief in the sun. "Only if you can catch me!"

Fai took off at a dead run down the beach, Kurogane running after him.

Kurogane was sure that catching him was the point.

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	16. 1st World 10 mo

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: Much thanks to everyone following this. Sorry the update on the first world took so long. I'll be getting back to "All That I Am" again now. I bounce between that one and this one. *bounces away*

* * *

1st World: revisited

{10 months since arrival}

The snow was beginning to recede. Sometimes the soft snowfall became rain before it splashed against the wet ground. The weather did not agree with Kurogane. Whenever he went out in it, his fur became heavy and dirty and Fai insisted on toweling him off before he got more than three steps inside. Kurogane wouldn't have minded the attention but Fai seemed to have no regard to the direction of his fur when he did it and Kurogane had generally decided it best to just stay indoors unless absolutely necessary.

"_Ball!_ _Ball!_"

Kurogane looked up to find a little tiger striped kitten pushing a ball toward him.

"Yea, sure." he conceded boredly, nudging the ball away.

"_Ball__**!**_" the kitten cried excitedly, bounding after it.

"Whatever."

Kurogane yawned widely.

"Kuro-woofy!" his ear twitched at the sound and Kurogane stood, stretching before he made his way into the kitchen where Fai was making dinner.

"Kuro-wan's such a good doggy!" Fai cooed. "He's so obedient and well-mannered, be a good boy Kuro-pup asown asouenasogw woeghowe. … One more time. Bring me the chair."

Kurogane lowered his back foot from his ear, where he'd been scratching an annoying itch, and got up. He went over to the kitchen chair and stood behind it on his back paws. Draping his front paws over the back, he pulled it down to the floor with a loud bang.

Fai whirled around, startled. "Kuro-puu!"

Kurogane thought he was going to go on but Fai sighed instead.

"You've been kind of listless lately." Fai said, in lieu, it seemed, of whatever he was going to say to begin with. He turned back to the stove, leaving the chair on the floor. "Do you want to go outside with me after dinner? I know it's still drizzling out but I don't mind the rain."

Kurogane's tail thumped against the kitchen floor.

* * *

After dinner, Kurogane went to wait by the door while Fai put his boots on. He was staring at the door when the little tiger striped kitten appeared in his peripheral. He looked down to find the kitten watching him, his little head moving up and down as he took in the entirety of him, then he adjusted himself so that he sat the way Kurogane was sitting, mimicking him.

"Are you going outside?"

"Mm." Kurogane answered. He knew that the little one was too small to go outside yet. His mother still nursed him and brought him mice to eat from outdoors. The only thing the kitten had ever hunted had been Kurogane's tail.

"Do you think maybe Fai will take me outside too?" As he spoke, the kitten seemed to notice his tail and his ears perked when it twitched.

"No."

The kitten broke loose and started chasing his own tail happily. "I love Fai." he declared, running himself in a tight circle. After a minute, the kitten got dizzy and sat down again. "Do you love Fai?"

Kurogane's ear twitched. What did that mean, exactly? Before Kurogane could really contemplate it, Fai appeared and opened the door for him.

Faced with the awe of the outdoors, the kitten wasted his opportunity to run outside, just staring at it, and the door closed behind Fai and Kurogane.

-

"Kuro-pup aso asoebow soneowf jdfoawhgeo andow. It's so cute."

It had started just recently. Sometimes, Fai's words didn't make sense to Kurogane. It faded in and out randomly.

Fai rubbed his head playfully and Kurogane pulled away, irritated. He trotted on ahead and Fai followed behind.

They walked for a ways and eventually Kurogane slowed to Fai's pace, walking along beside him, a comfortable silence between them.

"I'm kind of getting used to having you here." Fai commented. "It might be nice…if we could go on a walk like this together…and leave four footprints instead of six." He chuckled to himself.

Fai laughed to himself quite a lot, in Kurogane's opinion. His jokes couldn't have been that funny. He tried to hide his own solemn feelings from himself.

Kurogane wished he were more honest, but then, what good would honesty do him? Fai might as well be an escapist. He didn't have anything to face after all; the only human being for miles… That tiger striped kitten may have loved him, but he didn't _need_ Fai, Fai didn't _need _him. What Fai needed…what Fai…

Kurogane caught the scent of a fox hole and turned around to investigate. Fai stopped to kneel next to him. Kurogane determined that the fox was down there somewhere and decided to let it stay there. So they turned around and went home.

Kurogane couldn't remember what he'd been thinking before he'd noticed the fox hole but he didn't bother to think too hard on it either. If it was important, Kurogane figured, he'd remember it later.

* * *

That night, after a warm bath, Fai let him climb into the bed with him. He muttered a few words that escaped Kurogane with a smile, petting him between the ears, before he fell asleep lying next to him.

Kurogane watched him sleep, not particularly tired himself, but warm and comfortable enough to keep him from moving.

Letting his mind wander, it fell on the conversation he'd had with the tiger striped kitten. Did he love Fai? Fai talked to him and fed him and played with him. Fai slowly petted him at night in front of the fireplace. Fai let him sleep next to him in the bed when he was clean and dry. But Fai had a smell that made him think of other things.

Kurogane moved about a little until his nose was next to Fai's cheek. Fai's skin was smooth and pale and relaxed in his sleep. Cautiously, Kurogane licked the blonde's cheek. It didn't satisfy him at all, it didn't make the feeling inside of him go away it only made it twist in his chest so he turned away and lay his head across his paws instead.

What did it mean to love Fai? Didn't he love him? Shouldn't he? All of the cats loved Fai. What was wrong with him?

* * *

The next morning, Fai made pancakes for breakfast. He must have gotten into one of his moods, because Kurogane's stack of pancakes were smothered in sticky syrup. Fai knew he hated syrup. Fai kept all of the sausages for himself and by the time Kurogane realized that he had no intention of putting any down on the floor for him, Fai had already sat down to eat.

Fai ate everything except the sausages and then he smiled down at Kurogane, who had taken to lying on the floor, staring up at him.

"Does Kuro-woofy want sausage?" he asked, patronizingly.

Kurogane sat up and Fai took one of the sausages from his plate.

"I might share," Fai teased, moving it to his other hand and licking his fingers "if Kuro-tail will get me a hand towel. One more time, _hand towel_." Fai repeated clearly, poking Kurogane in the nose.

In a flash, Kurogane snapped his jaws over the offending appendage. But the action didn't really register in his brain until the taste of blood filled his mouth. Fai gasped and pulled his hand away. Kurogane had already let go.

Fai held his hand tightly to his chest with a grimace of pain. Blood was seeping through his fingers.

Kurogane's ears flattened against his head and he backed away. He hadn't meant it. He was sorry. He turned and raced away. He hid underneath the bed.

He remembered now, he was supposed to sneak the sausages off of Fai's plate before he sat down, like he'd done every other time Fai had done that. Fai had saved all of the sausages, he hadn't eaten any of them. He was going to give him all of them anyway. He was just trying to help him, make him think. _Hand towel. __**Hand towel.**_ He was supposed to get the hand towel like he was supposed to _push_ the chair and _not_ act like a _**dog**_.

He was supposed to be a man like Fai…like Fai. He didn't want to hurt him. He wanted to…

Kurogane buried his head under his front paws.

He was forgetting things. He was losing himself. Kurogane had never been afraid before. He was _afraid_ now.

-

Fai appeared in the doorway some time later. He sat the plate of sausages on the floor and then he sat down next to it.

"gowe asndowe nsod msoe nowenwe mowefj noe mwoejh nweoh towe nsoe. Kurogane. … …Please."

He sounded so desperate. Kurogane wanted to tell him to stay away. That he was dangerous. That he would likely only get more so. But he couldn't do that, so he pulled himself out from under the bed and crossed the room to the blonde. Slowly, carefully, head bowed in shame, so that hopefully Fai would know that he regretted what he'd done.

Fai held his hand out to him and Kurogane sniffed the bandages. Fai's hand wasn't bleeding anymore.

"It wasn't as bad as it looked." Fai said, taking his hand back. He didn't pet him. Kurogane wasn't a dog. Not his _friend_.

Kurogane pushed the plate of food away, ignoring his growling stomach, and lay down, resting his head on Fai's outstretched leg, then he closed his eyes.

A human being could have wrapped the hand for him, could have told him that he hadn't wanted to hurt him. If Kurogane had been human, Fai wouldn't have been hurt in the first place.

Because Fai was precious to Kurogane.

* * *

Post whatevers: Only one part left now. It's becoming harder for Kurogane to think like a human. Will he still be a human when a year has passed? As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	17. 1st World 12 mo

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: I am so sorry it took so long to finish this. I want everyone to know that I really appreciate all your support and understanding. You guys are great. After this, there won't be any updates until I finish All That I Am, but after that, there will be more worlds. ((_I have tried a dozen times to put dividers in this and it doesn't seem to be working so if they don't show up in the end, I did try.))_

* * *

1st World: revisited

{12 months since arrival}

"Fai, look! I caught a mouse! You can have some!"

Kurogane watched as the tiger striped kitten bounded across the yard to the side of the house where he and Fai were planting flowers. Kurogane dug up the dirt for him and Fai planted the seeds.

Fai turned to look as the kitten proudly dropped the mouse at his knees, waiting expectantly for praise.

Fai smiled, said something sweet, and petted the kitten.

The kitten waited a moment for Fai to take his share before exuberance prevented him from waiting any longer and he scooped up the mouse and ran off with it.

Fai said something else after he was gone. Kurogane didn't understand most of the things that Fai said but he continued to say them anyway. Sometimes Kurogane suspected that Fai was actually talking to himself instead of him or anyone else. But Kurogane was listening. The sound of Fai's voice to Kurogane's ears told him much more about what Fai was saying than the words he might have been speaking. He could read Fai's innermost confessions and worries in the slight variations in the tone of his voice.

He was commenting fondly on the kitten.

After they were finished, Fai went to the lake to wash up and bring water for the planting while Kurogane lay on the front lawn to wait. There was a memory in him of another warm day when Fai had brought the water back between his hands and played with him. He wondered if Fai would water the plants with the water he was bringing back or play with him instead.

Kurogane rolled over in the grass, enjoying the feel of it at the back of his head. Just as he was really getting into it, a noise alerted him and instantly he was on his feet only to realize that the noise was just a bird. Kurogane huffed, annoyed, as he sat back to scratch behind his ear.

Nested in one of the trees in the front yard, there was a particular bird who sometimes squawked on the same frequency as Fai. The bird probably thought it was singing, but Kurogane liked to think otherwise. It was particularly annoying because every time he heard it, his ear would twitch involuntarily, and even if he waited for the bird to call, it still happened.

When Fai returned, Kurogane turned to watch, his tail waving back and forth slowly but Fai took his water to the plants and carefully watered them all until the orb held by his magic was gone. Kurogane's tail stilled. Fai seldom played with him anymore. He didn't pet him by the fire at night; he only made pleasant conversation that Kurogane couldn't understand. He didn't invite Kurogane to sleep with him either. He wasn't cold, but he was becoming detached. Kurogane didn't know why he cared but the disappointment he had so often seen in Fai's eyes was surely reflected in him more often than not lately.

Fai turned to him and said something upbeat, some sort of offer, Kurogane guessed, and grinned encouragingly. Kurogane got up and Fai seemed happy with this reaction.

They were going for a walk.

Fai filled the silence with talk as they walked together along their usual path. Kurogane figured most of what Fai said was general nonsense ("_oh, Kuro-pon, look at that tree, it's so big" _and_ "oh, Kuro-woof, look at that rock!"_) so he didn't feel too bad ignoring him and after a while, he had drifted on ahead without noticing.

Once or twice he'd tried barking at Fai, a pretend reply to whatever he might have been saying just to satisfy him, but apparently he'd interjected at the wrong times because his replies had resulted in Fai sticking his nose in the air and turning his back on him. Kurogane figured it best just to ignore him.

Whether he ignored Fai or not though, he was always there. He never left, as if the mountain were his world and the places outside, where people came from, were the far away, distant places of fantasy. It was reassuring in one way, to think of it, knowing that Fai would forever be a constant and yet, it was distressing in another. Kurogane thought…he was sure that there were other places to be and that somehow, Fai lamented not being in those places or that there was something missing in Fai's life that he secretly wished to have. It was a vague thought, always at the back of his mind but easily lost when he started to think about it, as though the question was somehow too big for him.

"Kuro-fluff!"

Fai called out to him, his voice high and happy and Kurogane turned around to see whatever it was that he'd found to amuse himself with.

Fai was kneeling at the edge of the path, looking at something hidden in the ferns growing there. Kurogane could tell it was some sort of little critter before he even reached Fai's side and sure enough, when he got there he found four tiny porcupines huddling together, unsure of what to do now that they'd been seen.

One of them opened its mouth and let out a distressed wail.

Kurogane wrinkled his nose. They had a strong _new_ smell to them, the smell of not having left their den recently and he could tell this was their first outing.

Fai made some cooing noises as he watched them but soon rose to leave. At the sudden movement, more of them joined the first one, crying out in alarm and nearby, the underbrush rustled.

A large, fat porcupine waddled out of the ferns a little way down the path in the direction they'd come from. It came straight for them at a startling speed, hissing threateningly.

Neither one of them really had time to think. Fai stepped backward, pivoting on his right foot, ready to run, and Kurogane surged forward around his left. The porcupine met him in the same instant, angry and defensive. It whipped its fat little body around and struck him square in the nose with its tail.

It had barely grazed him but the instant it had made contact, Kurogane yelped at the sudden, searing pain.

"Kurogane!" Fai shouted, alarmed.

Kurogane backed away, thrashing his head from side to side in a vain attempt to whip the barbs out of his nose and muzzle but the movement only helped to work them in deeper. He swept to the side, pushing Fai on his way and Fai understood his gesture, running alongside him.

The porcupine only chased them a short way before turning back but they made sure to leave it far behind before coming to a stop in a little glen about half-way back to the house on their circular path.

Fai knelt in the grass beside him and said things Kurogane couldn't understand, holding his hands up before him.

Kurogane shoved his head into Fai's palms. He knew that he couldn't get the quills out on his own. Fai wasted no time, taking hold of the first sharp quill and yanking back quick.

Kurogane growled loudly as it pulled free and Fai must have remembered _the incident_ because he held his hands up disarmingly and all Kurogane could do was turn his head again to give Fai better access to the quills in the side of his muzzle.

Kurogane winced as Fai pulled the second quill. It was the blonde's fault they were stuck there in the first place. He had every right to growl about it. But he didn't want to relive _the incident_. He would be happy if Fai just forgot all about it. But apparently that wasn't going to happen.

Kurogane snuck a glance at Fai between pullings. At least Fai hadn't gotten hit. Because then he would have to pull the quills out himself. And Kurogane would have to watch, every time he winced in pain, and whimpered. Because he wouldn't have been able to do anything to help him.

At least he had been able to do something.

When they got home, Fai mixed a salve and rubbed it into Kurogane's sore muzzle. It was cool and comforting but the smell of it bothered him. He wanted to rub it off on something but he knew that would defeat the purpose so he did his best to ignore it.

He tried to do other things to take his mind off the smell: chasing gophers in the yard, picking up things that Fai had left laying around the living room…and all the while he noticed that Fai was watching him. At first he thought that Fai was just concerned but the mage seemed to be watching him much closer than concern would account for and after a while, Kurogane began to think that there was some other reason for Fai's interest.

A while longer and Kurogane had a nagging feeling that it had something to do with his reaction to the terrible smell of the salve. Maybe it didn't really _have_ to smell this bad. Maybe Fai had made it smell this bad on purpose just to see how he would react.

But that didn't make any sense. Why would Fai do that? Fai was contrary sometimes but he didn't seem to be enjoying Kurogane's reaction so what difference did it make _what_ he did?

Kurogane shook the thought from his head. He couldn't remember how he'd come to it anyway. Fai was the only human that mattered to him, the only human he even _knew_ and Kurogane knew that he mattered just as much to Fai.

Kurogane took one of the cat's empty dishes to the sink and dropped it in, pausing to stare at Fai a moment. The blonde stopped cleaning the counter he'd been standing at and stared back.

_I was a good dog today._ Kurogane thought. _If you weren't such an idiot we'd be a lot better off._

Fai spoke to him; just a few soft, short words and smiled with some degree of apprehension.

Kurogane tilted his head in return. What did Fai have to be apprehensive about?

Fai went back to his cleaning though so Kurogane left. He lay down by the open door and watched the little tiger stripped kitten playing in the yard. He was chasing a bug, completely carefree. Kurogane lay his head on his paws and let his eyes drift shut for a short nap. In a brief dream, Kurogane stood on his hind feet and Fai was happy.

The next morning, after Fai had made breakfast, with their plates in hand, he paused and, staring at Kurogane directly, sat both plates on the table. Then he sat down to eat.

Kurogane was a little confused. He tried to convey this to Fai, by staring at his breakfast plate and then looking down to the floor in front of him, back and forth, but Fai seemed to ignore the gesture.

And then he spoke, and Kurogane realized they were the first words he had spoken all morning. Fai didn't give much away regarding the content of his speech. He didn't make eye contact with Kurogane until the end of it, staring instead at his breakfast plate and then the wall, but it seemed to be important to him so Kurogane listened patiently and when Fai seemed to be finished, he cautiously pulled himself up by the table edge and pulled the sausage from his plate.

Fai seemed neither pleased nor disappointed by this action.

After breakfast, Fai bathed in the stream that flowed into the small forest lake nearby. Kurogane lay on the bank, watching out for signs of trouble…and watching him. Kurogane had never noticed before, but the dull hue of Fai's skin didn't seem to suit him at all. Somehow, he thought it should have been more…_more_…but the thought drifted from him like the small sticks, drifting down the stream.

Kurogane rolled over for a minute, to scratch an itch between his shoulder blades against the ground and when he saw the sky, he thought of Fai's eyes but when he looked back at Fai, though they were the same hue, the sky also didn't seem to suit him.

There was an unsettling feeling welling in the pit of Kurogane's stomach as Fai meandered back toward the house at his side. He wanted to ask Fai why he felt this way, but he knew that Fai would not understand so he kept silent and thought he might blame the feeling on Fai's odd actions at breakfast this morning. Was he supposed to eat from the table now?

In the front yard of the house, Fai stopped to stare at the hidden path that went _away_. Kurogane stared with him for a time, wondering what it was that Fai was thinking of. Kurogane understood that that was the place where people came from to become the cats that lived with them but there was no smell of people coming from the path, just the scent of the forest as it tried to take back the once walked-upon earth.

Kurogane looked back at Fai and he knelt before him and said something; a single short word with no accompanying signals to direct or guide him. He repeated the word, over and over, a hundred times until it became a chant coursing through Kurogane's head and he barked at the other to stop. If Fai had spoken the word before in relation to something, he couldn't remember with Fai assaulting him like this. But Fai ignored his protest and his word became louder, clearer, a bark in its own right. Kurogane wanted to turn and run but it was beginning to sound like DIG DIG DIG so instead, he attacked the lawn between them in frustration and Fai's chanting became silent.

He sat back and watched until Kurogane had cleared away all of the grass from the patch of land between them and he held out a hand to tell him to stop. Kurogane stopped, but he growled at Fai for good measure. Kurogane remembered DIG from the planting, if Fai had only directed him a little he would have gotten it without all of the annoying repetition.

Fai smoothed out the dirt until it was flat and proceeded to draw a stick figure in the area. He pointed at it and then at himself. The stick person was Fai.

Then he pointed at the path that went _away_ and drew a second stick figure.

Yes, Kurogane understood. People came from there.

Fai pointed at both stick figures and then at the path.

Kurogane looked back at Fai. Was Fai saying that he had come from the path too?

Fai proceeded to draw more stick figures and erase them, draw and erase, and drew little stick cats in their place.

Kurogane nodded. He understood this, why was Fai explaining it? As far as Kurogane was concerned, it didn't even matter where the cats came from. They always ended up on the back of Fai's chair, closer than him to the fireplace, trying to sneak into the bed at night…

Fai's next cat figure was bigger than the rest and Fai poked at the drawing and then pointed to him.

Kurogane bared his teeth. He wasn't a cat. The drawing looked nothing like him. It looked just like all the other stick cats, only bigger.

Fai slowly erased the drawing. Kurogane thought he was going to draw it better this time, but he drew another stick human instead.

Kurogane stared at the two stick people, standing side by side, surrounded by cats, without a single dog in sight, and he got mad. He didn't want Fai to erase him! He wanted him to draw it better!

He stomped a paw down over the second human figure. He wanted Fai to back up and draw him back!

"Kuro-woof." Fai lay a hand over his paw and looked back out toward the path.

Kurogane followed his gaze and the more he stared at it, the more a ghosted memory began to take shape there…of a man coming from that path. And Fai was there talking to the man. He was smiling. He'd just come from the stream.

"_I'm sure I must seem to be an exhibitionist but people don't generally come up here where I live."_

His voice was light and amused.

And his eyes were a brilliant blue. If Kurogane lingered on them long enough, he could see magic there.

Kurogane turned and looked back toward the house where another memory surfaced.

"_A long time ago…I had a wish. Looking back now…I understand that it was a foolish wish…and I wish I'd never made it at all. … All wishes are foolish…and all the people who make them are fools."_

Looking over his shoulder, Kurogane remembered something that Fai had said to him not so long ago.

"_It might be nice…if we could go on a walk like this together…and leave four footprints instead of six."_

Kurogane looked back at the human figure beneath his paw, his eyes widening with realization.

Fai stood back and raised his hands to the air, creating swirls of magic in the air with each sweeping movement of his arms.

Kurogane remembered that shortly after Fai had said those words to him, he had bitten him. He remembered feeling frightened at the time, because he had acted without thinking. Because Fai had become precious to him. He had never failed to remember since to think before he acted, but he had let go the understanding that this was a human desire. Even now, he wanted to speak to Fai and be understood, to comfort the magician that stood for hours in the snow, to lie next to Fai in bed and return the gesture of warm arms wrapped around him, to eradicate the feeling of loneliness, of _oneness_ that Fai had been cursed with on this mountain. All of these were _human_ desires, capable of being carried out only by _human_ hands.

Hands like those he had had on the day he had come into Fai's world from the path that led from _away_.

Kurogane closed his eyes, letting the feeling of Fai's magic wash over him as it had once before and when he opened them again it was to see Fai's golden hair, his cream-colored skin, and blue eyes shinning with the tears that were falling down his face.

"Can you…tell me about yourself?" Fai asked and Kurogane closed his eyes to the wonderful, comprehensible sound of the words spilling from his lips.

Opening his eyes, he reached forward and drew the startled magician into his embrace. He had no reservations as he leaned down to kiss his mouth, tightening his hold when the motion was returned.

When he pulled back, keeping Fai pressed firmly against him, Kurogane grinned and answered "My name is Kurogane. Not Kuro-woof."

Kurogane could feel Fai's chest rise against him in his elation as the blonde threw his arms around him and returned his embrace.

Kurogane never could remember what it was that had brought him to Fai's home on the mountain. He supposed he could have asked the sorcerer, but why bother? Thoughts like those only came to him while he was holding Fai in the early hours of the morning, before either of them wanted to get out of bed and they only reminded him of how grateful he was that he had come.

And the why no longer mattered.

In the spring of the next year, Kurogane and Fai traveled down from their mountain for parts unknown. On the way, they passed by a villager who asked them if he was on the right path to find the magician in the mountains. Fai told him that that person had only been a legend.

* * *

Post whatevers: There's an Omake! I wanted to post it as a one-page comic so I'll put it up on my Deviantart page as soon as I can. As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	18. 12th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP. Mulan is copyright Disney.

Author's Note: It's been a while, hasn't it? But I'm glad to be able to get back to some of the one shots I had started or planned. Right now, I'm working on a bunch of things at once. If I could work on one thing at a time on the smaller stuff, they'd all get done a lot faster but for some reason, I just can't seem to manage that. Well, anyway, here's the 12th world...

* * *

12th World:

**Tung-Shao**

"Kuro-pon, we need sweets." Fai declared, walking backwards in front of Kurogane as they entered the village.

When Fai had first been found by Kurogane's mother, alone in the mountains as a child, the village had been hesitant to accept him. His hair and eyes were unnaturally light. But he had only been seven years old at the time. He said that his mother had run away with him to the cold mountain. One night she had gone to sleep and never woken up.

Kurogane's mother made the decision to raise him herself and her determination to do so was so stalwart and unwavering that eventually he was accepted by all the townspeople.

They hardly looked twice at the two young men as they made their morning trip into town for their day's work. Kurogane worked as a weapons smith and Fai served food at a well-known restaurant.

"The only one who needs sweets is you." Kurogane countered, looking pointedly away.

A passing soldier gave them an odd look that Fai missed and Kurogane ignored. The imperial army had set up camp in their village only a short time ago. Word was that the Huns had invaded China and since their village was located at the Tung-Shao pass, through which lay a direct path to the Imperial City, the soldiers had come to guard the pass.

"Kuro-ru knows me so well." Fai gushed, latching onto Kurogane's arm.

At first, Kurogane had been leery of letting Fai do as he liked in town. He already did as he liked at home, but it seemed that no matter what Fai did, people only smiled and laughed it off. His oddity was written off on his strange appearance, as though it was alright for him to live by a different standard than normal people. Kurogane scowled just thinking about it. Fai was the most spoiled individual in the entire village.

Kurogane and Fai parted ways at the restaurant and Kurogane watched Fai disappear inside, flashing his brilliant smile at the waiting customers. A hesitant soldier smiled back before remembering himself and changing the gesture to a nod.

Kurogane rolled his eyes and continued on down the street. The man who owned the weapon smith's shop had been called to war but Kurogane had been allowed to remain in the village to continue making swords for the army. This left him in charge of the shop and, needing an assistant of his own, Kurogane had promoted the boy that the owner had recently hired to run errands.

Always punctual and respectful, Syaoran stood by the door, waiting for him. Kurogane could tell as he approached, that Syaoran had already lit the day's fires and made the proper preparations for his arrival. He greeted Kurogane with a deep and dutiful bow and the two began their long workday.

oo

At lunch, Syaoran and Kurogane washed up as much as they could in a bucket of well water and made their way into town to eat at the restaurant where Fai worked.

Fai was busy with the lunch rush, his break overdue again because he didn't complain. He was serving an imaginary bowl of rice to a little girl's doll, returning her exuberant smile, when Kurogane and Syaoran walked in, taking their usual table near the door. The girl's mother smiled gently at the scene and Fai quickly moved to see to the weapon smiths.

He took their orders and returned with three bowls, sitting with them to eat.

"And how is Syaoran today?" he asked, turning his perpetual smile on the young teen.

Syaoran blushed faintly at the attention, turning away to look at the little girl as she fed her doll. "I'm well." he answered. "And you?" Syaoran looked back politely to Fai to ask.

"Very well." Fai agreed. "Even better if Kuro-puu would buy me sweets on the way home today." he added, his grin brightening.

"I buy you sweets _everyday_." Kurogane complained. "Why didn't you just get a job at the pastry shop?"

"Because then I wouldn't see Kuro-pon and Syaoran at lunch." Fai pouted.

"Don't you earn your own money, Fai?" Syaoran asked, not following the conversation well.

"Yes, but Kuro-buu is in charge of finances." Fai continued to pout and Kurogane frowned.

"If I wasn't in charge of _something_ you'd run the whole damn house!"

Syaoran blinked, trying to follow but he was sorry he'd asked. Townsfolk around them snickered and soldiers gave them odd looks, whispering amongst themselves. Kurogane grumbled and shoveled a heap of rice and beef into his mouth.

-oOo-

At the end of every day, Kurogane said goodbye to Syaoran, who was heading home the long way in hopes of catching a glimpse of the girl that he liked along the way, then he picked Fai up from work and let him drag him into the bakery where the blonde proceeded to waste their hard-earned money on sweets.

They would walk home together to the traditional Suwa family home and land outside of town, Fai placated by his sweets. Pleasant conversation would take place. Kurogane would speak of Syaoran and the war, Fai of villagers and work. At home, they knelt as one before their mother's memorial. Fai waved the incense before they prayed.

"_Promise me that you'll always take care of each other."_ their mother had said to them, her final words, and each one holding her hand had promised and cried.

Kurogane may not have considered Fai his brother, not in the way brothers born to the same bloodline were, but he would never deny Fai the love his own mother had shown him. Though Fai still remembered his mother who had died to save him from some tragedy he'd forgotten, Kurogane's mother had also been a mother to the lost and lonely child she had found in the mountains.

Afterward, they would bathe together. Fai would later cook them dinner and after this clean the house while Kurogane practiced with the sword then, before bed, work the finances.

Their daily lives were well ordered and brought honor to their family name.

They had decided, then, that it could not harm that honor to spend their nightly lives in whatever manor they so chose…and so chose to spend it in one another's arms.

It had all begun while their mother still lived. Village girls had taken interest in Fai for his exotic looks and in Kurogane for his strength; Kurogane had seemingly been born a natural provider. But Kurogane had given all of himself to the family he already had, having no desire to add to it and Fai, rather than looking outward with affection, had looked inward, at Kurogane.

They purposefully skipped out on many matchmaking gatherings.

"_If I was a girl,"_ Fai had asked of their mother once, _"do you think Kurogane would choose me for a wife?"_ The matriarch of Suwa had seemed surprised at first, but then smiled at him; the smile that had made her so beloved, and answered him _"Kurogane seems to have no interest in such things. I would not dwell on such concerns, for you are closer to him as you are than all of the girls of the village."_

And so Fai had kissed Kurogane; confused and awkward.

It had not gone well. Kurogane had pushed him away, said mean things, and fled from him. He was afraid. Kurogane loved his mother and would rather have died than bring her dishonor. He didn't know how to love another yet. But it was the thought that Kurogane and Fai were fighting that upset his mother. When she asked him why, Kurogane didn't know what to tell her. He said that Fai would dishonor her. _"That isn't possible."_ she'd said to him, confusing Kurogane further. _"As long as my sons are happy and offer that happiness in turn to others, I am honored."_

Kurogane had had to think long on her words. Fai had grown mute, his smiles infrequent and forced. Eventually, village children began to come to him to complain. Kurogane thought of the kiss and came to the conclusion that it hadn't been so bad as he'd made it out to be.

So he tried it again.

Looking back, it might have done him well to tell Fai he was going to do it first, but the end result was the same.

oo

Fai's hair fell around his face as he leaned forward above Kurogane, his breath coming in paced lungfuls, a shimmer of sweat showing on his brow despite the winter chill and Kurogane leaned up to kiss him.

-oOo-

"But mommy! She's all alone somewhere!"

Fai picked up dirty rice bowls with one hand, serving fresh dishes with the other as the lunch rush began to flow in.

The little girl's dolly whom he'd served pretend rice to yesterday, was missing today, lost in the woods and the girl was crying as she tried to convince her mother to go out and look for it. The mother seemed to be at her wits end.

Fai smiled warmly as he sat their orders on the table and knelt down in front of the girl, lifting her chin with one slender finger.

"Tears don't suit such a lovely young lady." he whispered to which the girl's face heated brightly red and her tears slowed to an end.

"Seducing little kids now?"

Fai stood, grinning as Kurogane entered the restaurant with Syaoran.

"Kuro-tan shouldn't tease." he scolded, moving to clear a table for them. "We wouldn't want Syaoran to pick up bad habits now." he added, smiling exclusively at Syaoran who blushed in return.

Fai brought their lunch and came to sit with them. Despite the soldiers and the war, their everyday was much the same. Syaoran spoke of Sakura with pink dusted cheeks, Fai laughed and begged for his day's allotment of sweets, Kurogane snapped and grumbled and smiled when no one was looking. The village at the Tung-Shao pass was peaceful and prosperous and for all its guarding soldiers, as safe a place to live as the great Imperial City itself.

oo

That night, as Fai watched Kurogane practice his sword technique from the back porch, a sense of calm overtook him. Should their lives remain exactly the way they were, Fai would be forever be happy.

-oOo-

It was Kurogane stirring in the dead of night that woke Fai. He looked up to find the other rising in their bed, a grim expression on his face lit faintly by the moonlight filtering through thin curtains.

"Something's happened."

oo

Flinging the door aside, they gazed out into the night and were met with a horrific sight. Just over the horizon, marking the village in the distance, was a great orange glow; a plume of smoke rising above it like a great, black cloud. The faint sounds of battle could be heard, punctuated by the screams of their fellow townspeople.

"The village!" Fai was the first to turn back, stumbling into the house for clothes and the bow he kept nearby Kurogane's sword.

"The Huns!" Kurogane cursed, not far behind.

oo

Kurogane and Fai rode out on their family's only two horses to the only hometown either had ever known. Tung-Shao was the last obstacle between Shan Yu's Huns and the Imperial City. They were never supposed to get that far! The horse's hooves beat against the ground, echoing the beating of their hearts as each thought of villagers left behind by the draft for soldiers – the old and sick, women and children who didn't stand a chance against the Huns.

Mounting the final ridge, the scene unfolded before them like the curtain rising on a dramatic tragedy. The raging flames billowing out store front windows and tearing across the roofs of homes reflected in crimson and blue as eyes widened in horror.

Kurogane's horse reared as he spurred it on, drawing his sword from its sheath as he descended on the battlefield. Fai, startled, hurried after, gripping his bow in a white knuckled grasp, even as fear gripped his heart.

Bodies lay in the snow, crossing the threshold of doorways, eternally seeking escape even as they burned. Fai covered his mouth from the sight and the smell as he was forced to guide his horse around the fallen and tears fell as he caught sight of one he recognized, bleeding in the snow. The trampled ground was red.

"Fai!"

Fai whipped his gaze toward Kurogane and saw the sheath of his sword sail through the air in front of him, clashing with an arrow on its way and knocking it off course.

Fai yanked the reigns of his horse to the side and pulled away, drawing up his bow and notching an arrow to it, letting it loose all in the span of a breath. It flew true, finding sheath in the body of a Hun archer several yards ahead.

Satisfied, Kurogane veered left, away from Fai toward the battle, sword bare and ready.

The soldiers had driven their attackers back from the village to a nearby field where the two sides were locked in bloody battle. When Kurogane came on it, he knew already that the odds were against them. Many soldiers had fallen already and they were so outnumbered. Kurogane rode into the thick of the fray, his sword slicing across the nearest enemy and into the shoulder of the next in the same swing, blood slipping along the blade to spray everything in range.

oo

Fai rode through the village searching for survivors. His horse was growing wild at the heat and the licking flames reaching out for its legs. Rounding a corner, he sunk two arrows into an enemy outside the weapon smith's workshop. He fell across the body of another Hun and from inside, Syaoran emerged to get a look at his benefactor, sword in hand.

"Fai!" he cried happily.

As Fai pulled his horse to a stop in front of the shop, he saw that inside a number of the town's children had gathered behind Syaoran, hoping for salvation behind his sword. Fai recognized the girl standing in front of the others as Sakura, the girl Syaoran secretly loved.

Fai looked around. Soon the fire would find them or the Huns or both and just as he thought it more archers took notice of him, firing their arrows.

"Wait here!" he shouted, urging his horse away from them, out of the arrow's path. He had to find Kurogane. Fai made a wide circle and felled the archers who'd fired on him, racing onward to the battlefield.

It was chaos that Fai found, looking down on the small war below him. He fired into it, taking down one enemy after another as he searched for Kurogane among the riders but it seemed that for every one that fell, three more swarmed over him. Kurogane's brown horse was easy to spot among the enemy's sturdy black stallions and Fai urged his own toward it, flying into the heart of battle where ranged fighters did not belong.

Kurogane's opponent fell from his horse, the steed racing away to be taken by another. Sensing the rider approaching him before he saw him and in the heat of battle, Kurogane raised his sword and it was only Fai's anticipation that saved his head. The sword sliced through the loose blonde strands of his hair before Kurogane could catch himself.

"There are children in the village!" Fai yelled above the roar of death and battle. "Syaoran has them in the weapon smith's shop!"

Kurogane reached over to pull Fai's reigns, moving him out of his way as he raised his sword to another attacker. They weren't winning here. Nothing that he did seemed to lessen their numbers and all around him soldiers lay dead in the snow. At this point, he'd have to drop a mountain on them to have an advantage.

Kurogane took one last, desperate look around him and found Fai, nodding once as he turned his horse away from the carnage, away from the hopeless battle and his own honor, sacrificing a warrior's death for the lives waiting in the burning village of Tung-Shao.

They didn't go unnoticed. A volley of arrows followed them, raining from the sky, piercing the left flank of Kurogane's horse and Fai's shoulder, sinking deep as Fai screamed. Kurogane screamed with him, his name a startled and anguished sound but Fai pressed on and Kurogane did the same.

At the weapon smith's shop, Fai turned his horse and Kurogane dismounted, standing firm against the horsemen bearing down on them. There were three. Fai fired his last arrow, Kurogane preparing his sword to meet the remaining two riders but he was at a disadvantage and Fai reached up, taking hold of the arrow in his shoulder. Bracing himself, he yanked it free, as if from his quiver, and fired it. One of the riders fell dead and seeing so, Fai felt a great relief overcome him even as his right arm fell useless at his side, blood running in rivulets toward the snow.

Kurogane quickly dispatched the remaining enemy and was able to catch one of the horsemen's mounts and took it for himself, holding down an arm for Syaoran to pass some of the children to him. There were nine in all, including Syaoran and Sakura who took up Kurogane's horse together.

"Can you ride?" Kurogane asked of him and Fai nodded, gripping the reins of his horse together in his left hand.

Both knew the horses wouldn't last long with so much weight. Kurogane drove them onward to his family's home, hoping they wouldn't be followed. If they had to, they would press on into the mountains.

It had begun to snow, the flakes falling slow and cold over the land. Risking a glance backward, Kurogane saw that their tracks were quickly being erased, the entire horizon an angry orange glow behind them. It seemed to be saying: _this is the fate of all who stand against the Huns._

Kurogane turned back. It was a blow to his pride that the village had fallen while he and Fai and the Chinese army had been there to protect it. But there were things more important than his pride. Sparing a glance at Fai, he saw that the girl behind him was helping to hold him up. Syaoran leaned forward, distributing his weight better to make things easier on the injured horse below him, Sakura pressed into his back, holding tight to the infant between them. The little girl in front of Kurogane, the one he recognized from the restaurant where Fai spoiled her with pretend food, was clinging to the arm he'd wrapped tight around her waist. He didn't know if there were any other survivors; if the children they'd saved were orphans or had been separated from frightened parents during the attack. If no one stopped them, if Shan-Yu and his Huns overthrew the Imperial City, Kurogane vowed he would one day have his revenge.

Fai saw the look of determination in Kurogane's eyes and smiled. The warrior was splattered with blood, cradling a small child while more still clung to his waist and pressed against his back.

They were going to be ok.

"Kuro-tan."

His voice wasn't as loud as he'd meant it to be, nevertheless, Kurogane turned to look at him and Fai turned back to the front where their small house was coming into view.

"We're home."

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	19. 13th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: to those who wait

* * *

13th World: All good things...

Ophelia's Jewelry shop on the corner of 8th and Valmont received the full brunt of Kurogane's most venomous glare. It was eleven thirty on February 14th and there was no life beyond the windshield of his partner's silver, three year old Buick. Somewhere in the neighborhood – maybe - a jewelry store might be getting robbed, but here, in the vicinity of 8th and Valmont, the world was a silent testament to all of the people spending their Valentine's Evenings warm and cozy in their homes, getting laid like the lucky, oblivious bastards they could be as long as there were cops out there like Kurogane and Sorata who could be posted on stakeout duty at the drop of a goddamned tip-off.

Kurogane growled low in his throat and from the driver's seat, Sorata heaved a desolate sigh. A more pathetic example of human destitution would be hard to find. For the last hour and a half, Kurogane had been steadfastly ignoring the sigh, which had and would enviably be followed by a mournful "My poor, sweet Arashi…" and a long, explanation of all of the wonderful, sugary things that Sorata had been planning to surprise his wife with on the special occasion.

The longing tone of Sorata's voice made Kurogane sick. He couldn't imagine how Arashi lived with his partner day after day and refrained from leaping for joy at the notice that he was going to be away on a stakeout for hours on end instead of going home immediately to bother her.

Kurognae didn't want to think about Valentine's Day. Sorata wasn't the only one who'd had to cancel plans but Valentine's Day was just another day. It wasn't any harder to cancel on Valentine's Day than it was on any other day. Kurogane wasn't about to make complaints over doing his duty…but it was hard to forget the look in Fai's eyes when he had told him yesterday that he was planning on spending Valentine's night at his place. _Smoldering_…that was the look Fai had given him, full of promise and enthusiasm.

Fai had never spent the night before. He had come and gone, even at ungodly hours, eaten and showered, but never stayed and, if Kurogane were being honest, it was beginning to feel like some sort of fetish to imagine waking up with him there. There was nothing that Fai denied him in bed; how pathetic that in Kurogane's fantasies he could watch Fai's sleeping face after sex.

Logically, Kurogane knew that if Fai was ready to move ahead with their…relationship(?) arrangement(?)…then it shouldn't matter what day it was. Still…he wouldn't put it past Fai to have a sudden case of amnesia over the offer by tomorrow.

Maybe Fai would decide that the "cop's wife" roll wasn't for him. It was hard enough on a woman, but at least a woman could get kids outta the deal. Fai would get nothing, not even the knock on the door if he didn't come home. Hell, maybe Fai wasn't even that serious. Who the hell knew with Fai?

Kurogane glowered out the passenger's window at the empty sidewalk across the street. He hated stakeouts.

A rap at the driver's side window drew Kurogane's attention, his hand already half-way to his shoulder holster before he recognized the familiar blonde outside the window Sorata was rolling down.

Fai leaned over, folding his arms on the door, an easy smile sliding across his face.

"Hey, boys."

"Hello…Fai." Sorata shot a quick sidelong glance at Kurogane before smiling back nervously.

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Fai's smile brightened. "Well, I just came from the Arisugawa house…"

Sorata immediately lit up, surging forward, making to grasp Fai's hands passionately between his own but Fai easily slipped them out of reach, his smile never faltering. Sorata didn't seem to notice.

"You've seen my darling Arashi? How is she? She wasn't too devastated, was she? Was she crying?"

"She was very brave." Fai assured him. "She asked me to tell you to come back in one piece."

Crocodile tears spilled from Sorata's eyes as he clasped his hands together before his chest. "Arashi…" he crooned.

Fai's gaze slid across the car to meet with Kurogane's and his smile softened into the look that Kurogane had realized some time ago was reserved only for him.

"I was on my way to the store, should I pick up anything?"

Kurogane just stared at him for a moment as it sank in. Fai was going to his apartment. He would be there when Kurogane got home. He would wait.

Kurogane decided to go for it.

"We're good."

Fai's smile, faded slightly in the lull, flared bright again and Kurogane felt a flare of anticipation rise in him to match.

"Well, I'd better go." Fai announced. "I think maybe I'll crawl into bed, take a quick nap. I want to be awake for Valentine's." Fai straightened, and without anything further, turned and waved over his shoulder at them as he made his way down the sidewalk and around the corner.

Kurogane watched him go, a smile slowly pulling at his lips as the image of Fai, stretching naked across his bed for a cat nap came to mind. The digital clock on the dash read 12:03am, February 15th and Kurogane was looking forward to Valentine's.

* * *

Post whatevers: As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


	20. 14th World

Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is the intellectual property of CLAMP.

Author's Note: This was another one of those song-meme-inspired things. The song was Paralyzer by Finger Eleven.

* * *

14th World: Blind Date

Kurogane wasn't exactly sure how his sister, Tomoyo, had managed to talk him into agreeing to a blind date, seeing as the very idea of it had initially made his skin crawl. A lesser person would surely have taken the opportunity to set him up with that one single friend of theirs or so-and-so's sister who'd just gone through a messy break-up and needed some encouragement to _get back on that horse_. But this was his sister and Tomoyo took her match-making (read _nosing into other people's business_) very seriously. So, somehow or other, she had gotten him to agree even though he still wasn't sure what exactly it was he had agreed to.

Tomoyo had refused to tell him _anything_ about the individual he was supposed to be meeting at Langley's bar, 9pm, Friday evening. Knowing Tomoyo, he couldn't even say for certain that he was there to meet a _woman_. Tomoyo was all about _equal love_ and often threatened to set him up with other men since he seemed to have so little interest in women. If Kurogane were being honest, he couldn't really remember the last person he'd been attracted to or what gender they might have been. He also could admit, if he were being honest, that Tomoyo was probably right to think that if left strictly to his own devises he would probably end up old and alone with no one for miles that even knew him well.

The harsh _tak_ of glass on wood drew Kurogane's attention back to the present and he reached out for the drink sitting on the bar before him, grunting his appreciation to the bartender and turned on his stool with it to watch the crowd behind him.

In the dim lighting, the sea of bodies on the dance floor pulsed in time with the thrumming beat of music that Kurogane could feel through the floor. Dancing had never been his forte but the drinks were decently priced and in the next room, they had pool tables and wide screen tvs so he couldn't say he disapproved of the locale.

As Kurogane was gazing out over the throng of dancers, a flash of blue caught his eye and in the next pulse of light, he found himself caught in the gaze of a waif blonde, weaving and flowing through the crowd, moving with a fluidity the likes of which Kurogane had never seen, as though he knew instinctively where the next space between bodies would be an instant before it was even cleared, all the while holding his gaze, a sultry smile playing across his lips.

Tomoyo had promised him that he would know his date when he saw it; that he wouldn't mistake it for anything else. As the blonde approached, slipping easily onto the stool at his left, Kurogane knew that it could be no one else.

The man ordered his drink and only once it was sat before him, a cocktail glass filled with a dark colored liquid that seemed to continually shift hues with the pulse of the dance light, did he slide his gaze to the right, an easy smile on his face as he regarded Kurogane.

"I don't think I've seen you here before."

Kurogane's mouth had gone dry suddenly as he stared openly at the man beside him; long legs crossed elegantly, back sloped ever so slightly as he curled toward the bar, eyes liquid blue regarding him and shifting colors in time with his drink.

Kurogane took another drink from his own glass before answering but the other spoke first.

"Waiting for someone?"

The amused smile made Kurogane frown and he grunted in reply, turning fully toward the bar.

In response, the man swung around to face him, giving Kurogane his full attention.

"I'm Fai."

Kurogane turned back slowly. The smile had softened into a reaching out gesture, warm and inviting.

"Kurogane."

"Is this your first time here?" Fai asked him, voice rich and smooth rising above the din.

"No, but I don't usually hang around out here." Kurogane answered him conversationally and Fai nodded understandingly.

"Would you like to go someplace quieter?"

- oOo -

Kurogane had no idea how it had happened. One minute they were walking along, talking about why neither of them much enjoyed proper dating and the next minute Kurogane had Fai pinned to an alley wall getting himself well acquainted with the blonde's tongue while Fai gripped his shirt, pulling him flush against his thin body.

Kurogane had never been gripped by such a fierce lust before and Fai only seemed to want to fuel the fire, his fisting hands scrabbling around his neck, always pulling at the material of his shirt or his jacket. He couldn't think. God, he _wanted_ Fai.

"What do you want?" Fai asked; breathless words in his ear. "Tell me." And Kurogane shivered, too far gone to be anything but honest.

"You."

"How?" Fai pressed. "Here?" he asked, hands resting meaningfully on Kurogane's hips, thumbs caressing slow circles through his jeans. "Now? Or someplace better? Private?"

"Better." Kurogane murmured, kissing his neck. "Private."

Fai nodded, or tried to. "Ok."

Firm hands pushed back against his chest and Kurogane growled, glaring at Fai who merely laughed back, taking him by the hand and pulling him out of the alley.

"Have you ever done this before?" Fai asked, catching his breath as they made their way down the sidewalk once again. "Slept with someone you just met?" he added for clarification, glancing fleetingly at Kurogane.

His expression, in the brief moment that Kurogane saw it before he looked away, seemed apprehensive and it was enough to sober him momentarily, clear the haze in his head enough to think.

He hadn't known Fai more than an hour and here he was running off to sleep with him. What the hell was the matter with him? And why the hell didn't any of that seem to matter to him? Kurogane followed his own arm down to Fai's hand, entwined with his own, his iridescent skin seeming to glow against Kurogane's own tan.

He shook his head, then thought Fai hadn't seen and answered. "No. Never. … Do you do this often?"

Fai looked at him then. "Other things, yeah, sleep with…no. I've never offered before. …Not…not like this." In his eyes was a kind of wild look and, somehow, that made everything alright. Kurogane nodded and they pressed on.

- oOo -

Kurogane hardly noticed the motel. There was a door, a wall, an unfortunate encounter with a table, the bed…and Fai. Fai and his taught, smooth skin; Fai and the gasps and cries that tore from his throat; Fai and his wet, hot mouth exploring Kurogane's body in ways he had never even imagined.

- oOo -

When daylight dawned, Kurogane woke satiated and pliant, the length of Fai's body fit perfectly against his own. As he lay there, staring at Fai, uncertainty bubbled up in his chest. The arm draped across his torso felt too perfect, too right for what had happened between them. A light kiss at his chest pulled Kurogane from his revere and he looked down to find Fai regarding him silently beneath long blonde lashes. When he said nothing, Fai's eyes and hand slipped lower, fingers dancing across his stomach and Kurogane felt the twitch of arousal in response but he took Fai's hand in his own and brought it to his lips, gently kissing the palm, taking satisfaction in the curious, wide-eyed look Fai gave him at the gesture.

Slowly, a smile spread across Fai's face and he huffed a breath of laughter, laying his head back on Kurogane's shoulder contentedly.

Sometime later, as Kurogane was watching Fai hunt the room for his shirt, he heard the distinct ring of the cell in his jacket pocket. He grinned as he saw who was calling: Tomoyo and answered, sitting back on the bed to talk to her.

"Morning."

"Kurogane, what the hell happened?" she sounded exasperated with him but Kurogane's grin only widened.

"Haven't quite figured that one out yet, but I have realized something. You are always right. I swear to never doubt you as long as I live…" Kurogane trailed off as Fai caught his eye and grinned, waving his shirt in the air from his seat on the floor next to a cheap armchair.

"What are you talking about?" Tomoyo asked.

Kurogane watched Fai disappear in the bathroom before he answered her. "The blind date you set me up on. Fai. We…spent the night at a motel."

"_You what!"_

"I know how that sounds but, Fai, he's…" Kurogane grasped for words but couldn't find any to describe the blonde he'd met the previous night or his own feelings about the man.

"Kurogane…" Tomoyo's voice had gone calm, almost hesitant and Kurogane frowned. "I set you up with a woman. I knew you were reluctant to meet a stranger so I set you up with Soma…from the gym. She ran late and by the time she got to the bar, you were gone."

"You…what?" Kurogane's gaze fell back to the bathroom door. "But I…" Kurogane tried to think back; remember their conversation at the bar, and realized that he had never actually mentioned meeting a blind date and Fai had never actually said he was there to meet Kurogane. "You mean..."

"That's right Kurogane, _you_ picked up a _man_ at a _bar_." She sounded far too amused for her own good and Kurogane scowled at the phone.

"I take back what I said." he grumbled. "You obviously have no idea what you're doing. Stay out of my business."

The laughter on the other end of the line nearly made him throw the phone across the room. "Shut up."

"Sorry." The laughter died before Tomoyo continued. "I just…I didn't see you as a one-night-stand sort of person."

"I'm not…"

There was silence on the line until Kurogane spoke again.

"We've both got the weekend off. I'm taking him up to dad's old cabin by the lake."

"Even though he isn't the one I set you up with?"

"That doesn't matter." Even Kurogane was surprised at the truth of the words as he said them.

"Don't…" Tomoyo hesitated, but said it anyway "get hurt, Kurogane."

"I'm not a kid, you know." It was a weak argument at best, but Tomoyo knew him better than anyone.

"I know."

"Kuro-love." Fai opened the bathroom door a crack, sticking his head and one bare shoulder out. "I want to take a shower, but I'm lonely…" Fai pouted and Kurogane answered with a grin.

"I'll talk to you later." he said into the phone and waited for the goodbyes from the other end before cutting the call and tossing the device over his shoulder to hit the mattress. Fai returned his grin, pushing the door open invitingly as Kurogane stood and crossed the room to him.

* * *

Post whatever: I hope everything works out for these two... As always, if you liked, please review. Ja!


End file.
